The Role of political parties in Sikkim's democratic transition

The erstwhile Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim was a feudal monarchy having feudal economic system and exploitativepolitico-administrative structures. Socio-economic disparity among the three major communities of Sikkim-Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepalese was evident in the system of landlordism, lease system, system of forced labour and their social status in the agrarian society. Nepalese being the migrant population who settled in the last decades of 19th century were not only considered as outsiders by the aboriginals and minority Lepchas and Bhutias but were also denied rights and freedom by the Chogyal (ruler). Lepchas and Bhutias were either high ranking officials or rich land lords while the Nepalese were marginal workers, sharecroppers, cultivators and tea plantation labourers. This prompted few political organizations to demand for agrarian and economic reforms in Sikkim. As the economic reforms were being gradually initiated by the Chogyal, these anti-Chogyal political parties started making political demands for the establishment of a full-fledged democratic Government in Sikkim. Sikkim State Congress (SSC), the oldest political party of Sikkim provided a democratic platform for these political parties to further pursue this demand with the Chogyal and Government of India. There continued resistance and protests against the functioning of Government under Chogyal's regime made it convenient for the Indian Government to politically intervene. This ultimately resulted in not only the breakdown of feudal economy in Sikkim but also its transition from theocratic monarchy to liberal democracy. This clearly shows the co-relation between the economic reforms and political reforms in Sikkim. This paper seeks to point out the fact that changing political contexts in Sikkim have given rise to different demands of these political parties. Itattempts to analyze the role of political parties in altering the political economy of Sikkim and facilitating its merger with India.