Gangtok, March 25: The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha party (SKM) has announced its list of candidates for the 32 member Sikkim Assembly polls with Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang slated to contest from two constituencies, including his son Aditya Tamang’s seat of Soreng Chakung.
Sikkim goes to polls for the 32 member strong assembly together with the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 19th. The ruling SKM has retained its sitting MP Indra Hang Subba for the lone MP seat in the state.
The replacing of son Aditya by his father for the Soreng Chakung assembly seat was the biggest surprise of the day in the state. Chief Minister Tamang will now contest from Soreng and Rhenock in Pakyong district.
The chief Minister’s wife Krishna Kumari Rai, a first timer, has been named as the party candidate from Poklok Kamrang constituency in Namchi district. The chief minister had won from that constituency in a by-election in 2019.
The party has also dropped four sitting legislators including Aditya Tamang from Soreng Chakung constituency, Bishnu Kumar Sharma from Rhenock, Karma Loday Bhutia from Kabi Lungchok and SDF defector Em Prasad Sharma from Namcheybong constituency.
While underperformance as legislators have dogged those not making it to the list, yet, defectors from other parties have been rewarded with party tickets by the SKM.
Three Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs who resigned from the party on March 15, have made it to the candidates list of the SKM.
Sonam Tshering Venchungpa who was elected in the 2019 by-elections as BJP MLA from Martam Rumtek constituency has been named as the SKM candidate.
Similarly, two defectors from Sikkim Democratic Front in 2019 who later joined the BJP, Raj Kumari Thapa from Yangang Rangang seat and Pintso Namgyal Lepcha from Dzongu constituency have also been retained by SKM for the elections.
But the list of candidates released by the party on Monday has not been smooth sailing for the SKM which witnessed rebellion by those not making the cut.
Protests broke out outside the SKM party office in Gangtok following the declaration of party tickets.
Agitated SKM supporters and workers from Kabi Lungchok constituency have opposed the decision to award the party ticket to Thilay Tshering Bhutia, a former minister and multiple time legislator during SDF regime of P K Chamling- arch rivals of the SKM.
