The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won the Himachal Pradesh state elections at which Tibetans voted for the first time. Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, President of the Central Tibetan Administration, said, “The Tibetan people welcome BJP’s victory with fond memories and hopeful optimism”. Local Tibetans are hoping the new government will resolve ongoing issues of concern, including the 218 cases of encroachment of forestland in McLeod Ganj.