Sikkim National People's Party

Sikkim National People's Party (SNPP) was a regional political party (State Party (Unrecognized)) in the Indian state of Sikkim. Election symbol was Pen Nib. SNPP didn't have any relationship with Sikkim National Party (SNP) in same state or National People's Party (NPP) in the state of Meghalaya.

Sikkim National People's Party
AbbreviationSNPP
PresidentBiraj Adhikari > Delay Namgyal Barfungpa
FounderBiraj Adhikari
Founded10 October 2008 (2008-10-10)
Dissolved22 March 2022 (2022-03-22)
Merged intoSikkim Krantikari Morcha
HeadquartersGangtok, Sikkim, India.
IdeologyLocalism
ColoursWhite  and Red 
ECI StatusRegistered-Unrecognized State Party (Sikkim) (2019-22)[1]
AllianceSikkim Progressive Alliance (2019)

History

Pre-SNPP history

Biraj Adhikari and Delay Namgyal Barfungpa were members of the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC. Sikkim branch of Indian National Congress (INC)) which was led by Nar Bahadur Bhandari. In 2004, as the candidates of INC, Adhikari contested the sole Lok Sabha seat from Sikkim,[2] Barfungpa contested the Sikkim Legislative seat from Rumtek Constituency.[3] Both were defeated by candidates of the ruling party Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF).

In May 2006, because of discontent with Bhandari's leadership, Biraji Adhikari seceded from SPCC.[4] He joined Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) as the spokesperson of it.[5] Meanwhile, it is not much information on the movement of Delay Namgyal Barfungpa from 2004 to 2008, but he also seceded from SPCC at some point.

Establishment of SNPP

On 10 October 2008, Adhikari seceded from SHRP, and established the new party, Sikkim National People's Party (SNPP) for fighting with SDF. Adhikari was elected to the president, Tseten Dorjee Lepcha was elected as the working president, and Delay Namgyal Barfungpa was elected to the tresurer.[6]

In the Sikkim Legislative Assembly election of 2009, Adhikari contested from 2 constituencies (Rhenock and Chujachen), Tseten Dorjee Lepcha contested from Djongu constituency and Barfungpa contested from Gangtok constituency. SNPP formed the electoral alliance, United Sikkimese Alliance (USA) with Sikkim Jan-Ekta Party (SJEP).[7] With the exception of SJEP, SNPP didn't affiliate with SPCC or other opposition parties.

However, SNPP couldn't be registered in the List of Political Parties of Election Commission of India (ECI) before the election period,[8] so they had to run as independent candidates. As a result, they received 6.26% votes (Tseten Dorjee Lepcha in Djongu) or less in each constituency.[9]

Secession of Adhikari

Delay Namgyal Barfungpa was promoted to the vice president of SNPP at some point from 2009 to 2012. In the Sikkim Legislative Assembly election of 2014 SNPP didn't contest and appealed voters to be politically conscious, pointing out the "None of the Above" (NOTA) option.[10]

In January 2018 SNPP announced that it would contest the Sikkim Legislative Assembly Election 2019.[11] However, in August 2018 Adhikari resigned from the president and seceded from SNPP. He transferred to Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP) which is led by Bhaichung Bhutia, and Adhikari was appointed to the spokesperson of the party.[12] Barfungpa didn't follow Adhikari, and Barfungpa was elected to the SNPP president by party members.[13]

Barfungpa’s leaderships

In March 2019 SNPP participated in the election alliance, Sikkim Progressive Alliance (SPA) which was formed by Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP), Sikkim Rajya Manch Party (SRMP) and Sikkim United Front Party (SUFP).[14] SPA sent 8 candidates for 2019 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, 1 candidate for 2019 Sikkim Lok Sabah election, and 3 of 9 were SNPP candidates.[15]

But SNPP had not been registered in the List of Political Parties of ECI by the election date.[16] Barfungpa and other 2 SNPP candidates had to run as independent candidates, again. Barfungpa received only 97 votes (1.31%, 4th position of 6 candidates) in Gangtok constituency.[17]

Before the October same year By-Election of Sikkim Legislative Assembly (3 constituencies), the candidate of HSP from Gangtok constituency, Bhaichung Bhutia proposed a pre-poll alliance to Barfungpa, but Barfungpa didn't accept it.[18] SNPP was planning to participate this By-Election, and sent only Barfungpa for contesting from Gangtok constituency as an independent candidate third times.

Just at that time, SNPP had finally been registered to the List of the Political Parties of ECI as the State Party (Unrecognized) on September 25, 2019.[1] As the result, this was the first and final election that SNPP could contest by using its own party's name.

In this By-Election from Gangtok constituency, the candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Yong Tshering Lepcha elected by 2,508 (40.88%) votes. At the same time, Barfungpa became a runner-up candidate by 1,498 (24.42%) votes, and he could refund his deposit of candidacy.[19]

SNPP merged into SKM

In March 2022 Delay Namgyal Barfungpa joined the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) and merged SNPP with SKM. SNPP executive members and party supporters also officially merged with it.[20]

Ideology and political positions

SNPP advocated that safeguarding for interests of Sikkimese people and the special status for the state of Sikkim. It insisted that the protection of the Constitution of India's Article 371F[21] and the reintroduction of the Sikkim Tax Manual.[22] SNPP demanded that Government of Sikkim has to provide free electricity & medicines for the people of Sikkim.[23]

SNPP also demanded that the Nepali seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly should be reinstated. At the same time, it opposed to the merger of Darjeeling hills with Sikkim.[23]

In December 2012 Delay Namgyal Barfungpa petitioned the Supreme Court with corruption allegations against the ruling political party (1994-2019) SDF Government.[24] In May 2019 Barfungpa attended the swearing-in ceremony for the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang (P.S. Golay) who is the president of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM). Conversely, the former Chief Minister and president of SDF, Pawan Kumar Chamling had boycotted it.[25] In the by-election 2019 Barfungpa criticized that the BJP-SKM alliance is a kind of backdoor politics.[18]

Electoral records
Sikkim Legislative Assembly election
Year Total Seats Seats Contested Seats Won Forfeited Deposits  % Votes Contested Source
2019 (by-election) 3 1 0 0 24.42 [26]

Presidents

Organisation
  • SNPP Youth

References
  1. "Amending notification regarding political parties and their election symbols dated 25.09.2019". Election Commission of India (ECI). 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019. SNPP was registered in this list with No.2463.
  2. "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTIONS, 2004 TO THE 14th LOK SABHA VOLUME III". ECI. 2004. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  3. "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 2004 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SIKKIM". ECI. 2004. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  4. "Seven from Sikkim quit Congress". The Telegraph. 28 May 2006. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  5. "SHRP demands white paper on rights of Limboo-Tamang". oneindia. 17 February 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  6. "State government and central government should protect our right: Biraj Adhikari". prabinkhaling.blogspot. 28 March 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  7. "SNPP, SJP forms 'United Sikkimese Alliance'". prabinkhaling.blogspot. 2 April 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  8. "Political Parties And Election Symbols as on 14-03-2009". ECI. 14 March 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2019. Meanwhile, SJEP could be registered in this List as the No. 894.
  9. "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 2009 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SIKKIM". ECI. 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  10. "SNPP appeals voters to be politically conscious, points out NOTA option". Sikkim NOW!. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  11. "SNPP to contest 2019 Sikkim assembly polls". Business Standard. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  12. "K.N. Upreti & Biraj Adhikari joins Hamro Sikkim Party". Sikkim Express. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  13. "Delay Namgyal is new SNPP president". Sikkim Express. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  14. "Four Parties form Sikkim Progressive Alliance". United News of India. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  15. "SPA Announces 9 Candidates Including Lok Sabha Candidate". The Voice of Sikkim (TVOS). 17 March 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019. However, on the eve this election, SSP withdrew its candidate, Tara Battarai in Upper Tadong.
  16. "POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTION SYMBOLS". ECI. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  17. "Gangtok Election Result 2019 LIVE COUNTING". Firstpost. 27 May 2019. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  18. "Delay Namgyal critical of BJP entry plan in Sikkim". Sikkim Express. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  19. "Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang wins from Poklok Kamrang seat, BJP bags two seats". Economic Times. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  20. "DELAY NAMGYAL'S SNPP MERGES WITH SKM". Sikkim Express. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  21. "No match for Sikkim's victorious regional parties since 1979". The Times of India. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  22. "Sikkim party wants old tax law back". The Telegraph. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019. In 2008, Sikkim Tax Manual had been repealed by the introduction of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
  23. "SNPP demands free electricity & medicines, says SDF failed to deliver basic facilities". the northeast today. 8 December 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  24. "Delay Namgyal petitions Supreme Court with corruption allegations against CM and State Govt". Sikkim NOW!. 27 January 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  25. "PS Golay takes oath as Sikkim's 6th CM". Sikkim Express. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  26. "Final result of Gangtok bye-poll". Sikkim Express (Facebook). 25 October 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
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