Sikkim Janata Party

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox Indian Political Party

| party_name= Sikkim Janata Party

| party_logo =

| colorcode = #0000FF

| founder = Lal Bahadur Basnet

| secretary =

| foundation = 1969

| dissolution = 1972

| merged = Sikkim Janata Congress

| split =

| alliance =

| position =

| colours = Blue {{Colorsample|#0000FF}}

| headquarters =

| symbol =

}}

Sikkim Janata Party was a political party in Sikkim. The party was founded in Gangtok on 18 December 1969 founded by Lal Bahadur Basnet.{{cite book | author = Satyendra R. Shukla | date = 1976 | title = Sikkim: The Story of Integration | publisher = S. Chand | pages = 77, 82, 223| isbn = 978-0-8426-0872-5 | oclc = 164804020 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ektuAAAAMAAJ}}{{cite book | date = 1969 | title = Himmat, Volume 6, Issues 1-25 | publisher = R.M. Lala | pages =1 | oclc = 1774357 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OVEub4IGa7gC |quote=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.}} The party was formed after a split in the Sikkim National Congress.{{cite book | author = Nirmalananda Sengupta | date = 1985 | title = State Government and Politics, Sikkim | publisher = Sterling | pages = 87, 163| isbn = 978-0-86590-694-5 | oclc = 12978086 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=dGsmAAAAMAAJ}} Basnet, a well-known journalist and former general secretary of the Sikkim National Congress, served as the president of the party.{{cite book | author = Lal Bahadur Basnet | date = 1974 | title = Sikkim: A Short Political History | publisher = S. Chand | pages =153 | isbn = 978-0-8426-0627-1 | oclc = 1043995922 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=nEpuAAAAMAAJ}}{{cite book | date = 1971 | title = Nepal Press Report, Issues 500-593 | publisher = Regmi Research Project | pages =10 | oclc = 6109752 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=74seAAAAMAAJ}}{{failed verification|date=March 2021}} K.C. Pradhan was the general secretary of the party.

Ideologically the party was committed to socialism, democracy and the unity of the Sikkimese people.{{cite book | author = Awadhesh Coomar Sinha | date = 1975 | title = Politics of Sikkim: A Sociological Study | publisher = Thomson Press (India), Publication Division | pages = 86| oclc = 1933932 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=CUtuAAAAMAAJ}} The party was active in the struggle for democratic reforms.{{cite book | author = Aparna Bhattacharya | date = 1992 | title = The Prayer-wheel & Sceptre, Sikkim | publisher = Nachiketa Publications | pages = 146| oclc = 32892911 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=LogEAAAAYAAJ}} It demanded Sikkim adopt a written constitution.

The party was mainly supported by Nepali community.{{cite book | editor = Hamlet Bareh | date = 2001 | title = Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Sikkim | publisher = Mittal Publications | pages = 107–108 | isbn = 9788170997948 | oclc = 1285484126 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jrr7HPr8NAQC&pg=PA107}} The party suffered from weak organization and lack of financial backing. The party contested four seats in the fourth general election of 1970.{{cite book | editor1 = Syed Amanur Rahman | editor2 = Balraj Verma | date = 2006 | title = The Beautiful India - Sikkim | publisher = Reference Press | pages =334 | isbn = 9788184050196 | oclc = 154689593 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=emcwAQAAIAAJ}} Basnet had himself contested two seats in the election. Compared to other opposition parties, the Sikkim Janata Party took more radical postures. 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).{{cite book | author = Jigme N. Kazi | date = 20 October 2020 | title = Sons of Sikkim: The Rise and Fall of the Namgyal Dynasty of Sikkim | publisher = Notion Press | pages = | isbn = 978-1-64805-981-0 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_MwDEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT15}} The party condemned the 1950 treaty as a 'slander on Sikkim'.{{cite book | date = 1971 | title = Asia Yearbook | publisher = Far Eastern Economic Review Limited | pages = 281| oclc = 1791821 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=nQ9ZAAAAYAAJ}}

Karma Lama of the Sikkim Janata Party contested the Sangha seat, finishing in second place with 46 votes (10.31%).{{cite book | date = 1970 | title = Sikkim Herald, Volume 11, Issues 1-100 | publisher = Sikkim Publicity Department | pages = | oclc = 1714501 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=oLHg_bJ4t7gC}}

Following the election, in which the party failed to win any seats, Basnet resigned from the party presidency and left the party.{{cite book | author = B. S. K. Grover | date = 1974 | title = Sikkim and India: Storm and Consolidation | publisher = Jain Bros. | pages = 59| oclc = 1063130178 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Nr0BAAAAMAAJ}} Another key leader of the party, B.B. Gurung, also renounced his membership.{{cite book | editor = Ramananda Chatterjee | date = 1970 | title = The Modern Review, Volume 127 | publisher = Modern Review Office | pages = 195| oclc = 1681145 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ElgjAQAAIAAJ}} After these departures, K.C. Pradhan became the main leader of the party.{{cite book | date = 1972 | title = News Review on South Asia | publisher = The Institute | pages = 69, 157| oclc = 1753214 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=wLY5AQAAIAAJ}}

On 15 August 1972 SJP reached an agreement with the Sikkim State Congress to merge the two parties. The merger was completed on 26 October 1972, with the formation of the Sikkim Janata Congress.