Newly appointed Sikkim BJP President DR Thapa on February 1 said that the BJP will work on strengthening the party in the state.

He said that it is important for the party to work on organizational growth and raise awareness about central government schemes. He also took a firm stand against the Teesta III hydropower project, citing its environmental and social impacts.

 Thapa acknowledged that after the last election, the party conducted an introspection and found weaknesses in its organizational structure. “We realized that our organization was not very strong. For the past eight months, we have been working to strengthen it. Our focus is to take all central schemes to the people and make them aware of their benefits,” he said. 

Addressing concerns over the Teesta III project, Thapa strongly opposed its continuation. “The destruction caused by this project has been devastating. Nearly 70 lives were lost, 1,800 houses were damaged, and around 80,000 people were affected by last year’s disaster,” he said. He stressed the need for a proper environmental impact assessment, which he claimed was not adequately conducted. “This is why the destruction happened last time. I request that a proper assessment be done before any further decisions are made,” he added.

Thapa also reacted to a recent Supreme Court verdict related to domicile requirements for medical college admissions in Chandigarh. The ruling, based on Article 14 of the Constitution, granted equal opportunity to all applicants regardless of their state of residence. When asked if this could have an impact on Sikkim, Thapa clarified that Sikkim is protected under Article 371F, which grants special constitutional provisions to the state. “The principle of Article 14 will not apply in Sikkim in the same way because we have specific protections under Article 371F,” he said.

Thapa assured that under his leadership, the Sikkim BJP will focus on grassroots-level engagement and improving public outreach. “We want to ensure that every resident of Sikkim understands the benefits of the central government schemes and can avail them,” he said. He also hinted at a structured plan to expand the party’s influence in the state, particularly in rural areas.

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