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Category | Political Party |
Allied Category | Sikkim |
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Sikkim National Congress was political party based in Sikkim, India. It came into existence in 1962 through a merger of Swartantra Dal, Rajya Praja Sammelan and the dissidents of the then dominant parties, Sikkim State Congress and Sikkim National Party. Kazi Lhendup Dorji Khangsarpa was the main architect of the party. Sikkim National Congress was modelled after the Indian National Congress and was aimed at providing a political platform for all constituent races and groups of people living in the erstwhile Kingdom of Sikkim. Until then popular politics was fragmented into castes and races. Sikkim National Congress opposed monarchy and pursued aggressively the pro-democracy movement in the Kingdom.
In April 1973 Sikkim Janata Congress merged with Sikkim National Congress greatly strengthening the party. The party contested the 1974 elections and won forming the first democratically elected Government in the then Kingdom of Sikkim. The party won 31 seats out of 32.
The long drawn effort of the party ultimately lead to the merger of Sikkim with India on Friday, May 16,1975. Kazi Lhendup Dorji Khangsarpa who was already the head of an elected Government in Sikkim became the first Chief Minister of Sikkim, which became the 22 State of India. After the merger of Sikkim with India, Sikkim National Congress was merged with Indian National Congress.
LEADERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARTY
- Kazi Lhendu Dorji Khangsarpa [Founder/President]
REFERENCES