Overview
- Raju Bista, speaking to BJP workers in Singtam on Monday, said Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills have separate political futures and rejected any proposal to merge the two regions.
- Bista explicitly pledged that the BJP will uphold Article 371F, the constitutional provision that protects Sikkim’s special status and territorial arrangements.
- Sikkim leaders including Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and former chief minister Pawan Chamling have publicly opposed merger plans and called for protection of the state’s land and identity.
- Pro‑merger groups in the Darjeeling hills such as the Gorkha Rashtriya Congress and the Sikkim‑Darjeeling Ekikaran Manch remain vocal but face organised resistance from Sikkim parties and community bodies that have staged protests and sought clarity.
- Bista announced a six‑month organisational push in Sikkim focused on booth‑level teams and Seva Setu Abhiyan outreach, a move that could both calm territorial fears and expand the BJP’s grass‑roots presence ahead of future contests.