Sikkim Janata Party

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

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]

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]

  1. ^ a b c d Satyendra R. Shukla (1976). Sikkim: The Story of Integration. S. Chand. pp. 77, 82, 223. ISBN 978-0-8426-0872-5. OCLC 164804020.
  2. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Nirmalananda Sengupta (1985). State Government and Politics, Sikkim. Sterling. pp. 87, 163. ISBN 978-0-86590-694-5. OCLC 12978086.
  4. ^ a b c d e 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.[failed verification]
  7. ^ a b 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. ^ a b News Review on South Asia. The Institute. 1972. pp. 69, 157. OCLC 1753214.