Sikkim Janata Party

Sikkim Janata Party was a political party in Sikkim. The party was founded in Gangtok on December 18, 1969 founded by Lal Bahadur Basnet.[1][2] The party was formed after a split in the Sikkim National Congress.[3] Basnet, a well-known journalist and former general secretary of the Sikkim National Congress, served as the president of the party.[4][5][6] K.C. Pradhan was the general secretary of the party.[4]

Sikkim Janata Party
FounderLal Bahadur Basnet
Founded1969
Dissolved1972
Merged intoSikkim Janata Congress
ColoursBlue  

Ideologically the party was committed to socialism, democracy and the unity of the Sikkimese people.[4][2][7] The party was active in the struggle for democratic reforms.[8] It demanded Sikkim adopt a written constitution.[3]

The party was mainly supported by Nepali community.[4] The party suffered from weak organization and lack of financial backing.[7] The party contested four seats in the fourth general election of 1970.[9] Basnet had himself contested two seats in the election.[4] Compared to other opposition parties, the Sikkim Janata Party took more radical postures.[1] During the election campaign the party called for revision of the 1950 India-Sikkim Peace Treaty, calling for greater autonomy for Sikkim (positions shared with the Sikkim National Congress and the Sikkim State Congress).[10] The party condemned the 1950 treaty as a 'slander on Sikkim'.[11]

Karma Lama of the Sikkim Janata Party contested the Sangha seat, finishing in second place with 46 votes (10.31%).[12]

Following the election, in which the party failed to win any seats, Basnet resigned from the party presidency and left the party.[13] Another key leader of the party, B.B. Gurung, also renounced his membership.[14] After these departures, K.C. Pradhan became the main leader of the party.[15]

On August 15, 1972 SJP reached an agreement with the Sikkim State Congress to merge the two parties.[1][15] The merger was completed on October 26, 1972, with the formation of the Sikkim Janata Congress.[1]

References
  1. Satyendra R. Shukla (1976). Sikkim: The Story of Integration. S. Chand. pp. 77, 82, 223. ISBN 978-0-8426-0872-5. OCLC 164804020.
  2. Himmat, Volume 6, Issues 1-25. R.M. Lala. 1969. p. 1. OCLC 1774357. A new political party called the Sikkim Janata Party emerged in Sikkim and it's [sic] president, Lal Bahadur Basnet, said that it's [sic] aim is socialism.
  3. Nirmalananda Sengupta (1985). State Government and Politics, Sikkim. Sterling. pp. 87, 163. ISBN 978-0-86590-694-5. OCLC 12978086.
  4. Hamlet Bareh, ed. (2001). Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Sikkim. Mittal Publications. pp. 107–108. ISBN 9788170997948. OCLC 1285484126.
  5. Lal Bahadur Basnet (1974). Sikkim: A Short Political History. S. Chand. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-8426-0627-1. OCLC 1043995922.
  6. Nepal Press Report, Issues 500-593. Regmi Research Project. 1971. p. 10. OCLC 6109752.
  7. Awadhesh Coomar Sinha (1975). Politics of Sikkim: A Sociological Study. Thomson Press (India), Publication Division. p. 86. OCLC 1933932.
  8. Aparna Bhattacharya (1992). The Prayer-wheel & Sceptre, Sikkim. Nachiketa Publications. p. 146. OCLC 32892911.
  9. Syed Amanur Rahman; Balraj Verma, eds. (2006). The Beautiful India - Sikkim. Reference Press. p. 334. ISBN 9788184050196. OCLC 154689593.
  10. Jigme N. Kazi (20 October 2020). Sons of Sikkim: The Rise and Fall of the Namgyal Dynasty of Sikkim. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-64805-981-0.
  11. Asia Yearbook. Far Eastern Economic Review Limited. 1971. p. 281. OCLC 1791821.
  12. Sikkim Herald, Volume 11, Issues 1-100. Sikkim Publicity Department. 1970. OCLC 1714501.
  13. B. S. K. Grover (1974). Sikkim and India: Storm and Consolidation. Jain Bros. p. 59. OCLC 1063130178.
  14. Ramananda Chatterjee, ed. (1970). The Modern Review, Volume 127. Modern Review Office. p. 195. OCLC 1681145.
  15. News Review on South Asia. The Institute. 1972. pp. 69, 157. OCLC 1753214.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.