Gangtok, March 25: The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) announced on Monday that sitting legislator Samdup Lepcha will be the MLA candidate from the Lachen Mangan constituency for the 2024 elections.
However, another contender for the ticket, Gyanden Lachungpa failing to get the MLA ticket has announced his resignation from SKM party with immediate effect.
Lachungpa describes the selection of MLA Samdup Lepcha as a “wrong decision by the SKM party” and even called him a “loosing candidate”.
Lachungpa was a retired bureaucrat serving in the Sikkim Government.
Lachungpa formed an 11-member committee on Monday, comprising sitting panchayat members, former panchayat members, and many disgruntled members of the public from both the SKM and SDF parties in the constituency.
Speaking to reporters, Lachungpa said, “The committee has urged me to contest independently if Samdup Lepcha does not withdraw his candidacy from the SKM party by the final day of nomination withdrawal on March 28. If the party changes its decision and favors me, I will not contest independently.”
“SKM has given a ticket to a losing candidate. The sitting MLA has done nothing beneficial for the people of Lachen Mangan. The people of the constituency are against Samdup Lepcha; he is bound to lose without my support. Over the past 5 years, I have garnered support from many disgruntled SDF supporters. They will either support my individual candidacy or the SDF candidate, Hishey Lachungpa,” he added.
