Election
State story

Sikkim: the SDF years, 1994–2014

10 Assembly elections · 19792024 · every seat count and share is read from the official record.

Who held the house

bar width = years in charge · tap one for that election
1979SJP
1985SSP
1994SDF
2019SKM

Sikkim Democratic Front has led 5 of 10 elections; power changed hands 3 times.

Seats over time

the leading parties
SDFpeak 32 · 2009
3219792024
SSPpeak 32 · 1989
3219792024
SKMpeak 31 · 2024
3119792024
SJPpeak 16 · 1979
1619792024

Sikkim has voted in 10 Assembly elections between 1979 and 2024. Sikkim Democratic Front has been the largest party in 5 of them — more than any rival.

Power has changed hands 3 times. The steadiest run was Sikkim Democratic Front's — the top party from 1994 to 2014 across 5 elections.

In 1985, Samyukta Socialist Party broke through — 30 of 32 seats — ending Samajwadi Jan Parishad's hold, which fell from 16 to 0.

In 1994, Sikkim Democratic Front broke through — 19 of 32 seats — ending Samyukta Socialist Party's hold, which fell from 32 to 10.

In 2019, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha broke through — 17 of 32 seats — ending Sikkim Democratic Front's hold, which fell from 22 to 15.

The sharpest single swing was 1985: Samyukta Socialist Party went from 0 to 30 seats, a gain of 30.

Samyukta Socialist Party's steepest fall came in 1994, from 32 seats to 10.

The closest verdict was 2019: Sikkim Krantikari Morcha finished just 2 seats ahead of Sikkim Democratic Front.

Most recently, in 2024, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha holds 31 of 32 seats on 59.0% of the vote — a clear majority (17).

Pivotal elections

who held the house, seat by seat
First on record · 1979open →
16SJP
  • SJP1650%
  • SCR1134%
  • SPC413%
  • IND13%

Samajwadi Jan Parishad · 31.5% of the vote · short of majority

The wave · 1985open →
30SSP
  • SSP3094%
  • INC13%
  • IND13%

Samyukta Socialist Party · 62.2% of the vote · majority

Most recent · 2024open →
31SKM
  • SKM3197%
  • SDF13%

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha · 59.0% of the vote · majority

The turn of 1985

1985 seats minus 1979
seats lostseats gained
SSP
0 → 30
+30
INC
0 → 1
+1
IND
1 → 1
0
SPC
4 → 0
−4
SJP
16 → 0
−16
SCR
11 → 0
−11

Every time power changed hands

  1. 1985SSP took the house with 30 of 32, ending SJP’s run (160).
  2. 1994SDF took the house with 19 of 32, ending SSP’s run (3210).
  3. 2019SKM took the house with 17 of 32, ending SDF’s run (2215).

Party identity

renames, splits and mergers along the way
  • Samyukta Socialist Party broke away from Praja Socialist Party in 1964.