SKM storms back to power in Sikkim

Gangtok:The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) retained power in the Himalayan state with a landslide victory on Sunday, winning 31 of the 32 Assembly seats, restricting the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) to just one seat.

While the SKM and the BJP had fought the elections separately, Chief Minister and SKM chief Prem Singh Tamang said on Sunday that his party was still “a part of the BJP-led NDA”.

In a tweet on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Tamang for his party’s victory in the Assembly polls. “I look forward to working with the state government to further the progress of Sikkim in the coming times,” he said.

Responding to Modi, Tamang posted on X: “We are committed to continuing our efforts towards the development and prosperity of Sikkim. We look forward to collaborating with you to achieve our shared goals for the betterment of our state. Your unwavering support has been a driving force for us, and we look forward to your continued guidance and blessings.”

The SDF, which was once a dominant force in the state and had held its reins since 1994, first tasted defeat in the 2019 Assembly polls, when it won 15 seats, two less than the SKM, despite its marginally higher vote share. This time, the SKM’s vote share rose to 58.38%, while the SDF fell to 27.37%.

While Tamang won both his seats – Soreng-Chakung and Rhenchok by 7,396 votes and 7,044 votes respectively, SDF leader and former Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, who had also contested from two constituencies — Poklok Kamrang and Namcheybung – lost both. Tamang’s wife Krishna Kumari Rai won from the Namchi-Singhithang constituency. The lone SDF candidate who won was Tenzing Norbu Lamtha, from Shyari constituency.