Sikkim ruling party, opposition parties nominate Lok Sabha candidates, national opinion polls

Ahead of the crucial assembly elections for 32 members of the Himalayan state of Sikkim on April 19 that coincide with the Lok Sabha elections, the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha has announced its candidate for all seats and the sole Lok Sabha member. The party retained sitting MP Indra Hang Subba.

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has been named as the candidate from two constituencies: Rhenock (Pakyong District) and his hometown Soreng Chakung (Soreng District).

Mr Tamang replaced his son Aditya Tamang as the candidate for Soren Chakung.

The chief minister, who won the 2019 by-election to Poklok Kamrang constituency in Nanchi district, has now handed over the election ticket to his wife Krishna Kumari Rai, who is contesting elections for the first time.

Three BJP MPs who quit the party on March 15 have been given SKM party tickets.

In the 2019 by-election, Sonam Tshering Venchungpa, a BJP MP from Martm Rumtek constituency, retained SKM’s seat.

Similarly, two leaders, namely Raj Kumari Thapa from Yangang Rangang and Pintso Namgyal Lepcha from Dzongu constituency, who defected from the Sikkim Democratic Front in 2019 and later joined the BJP, also retained their seats in the SKM party.

SKM has ousted four MPs, 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.

Protests broke out outside the SKM party office in Gangtok after the declaration of party tickets.

Angry people from Kabi Lungchok constituency objected to SKM’s decision to award a ticket to Thilay Tshering Bhutia, a former minister in the SDF regime and a long-time lawmaker.

The Sikkim Democratic Front has announced 26 candidates for the parliamentary elections, 11 of whom are former MPs. Two-time Lok Sabha MP Prem Das Rai won the seat again.

Former chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling will contest from Poklok Kamrang constituency, which he gave up during the 2019 by-election. He is the sitting MP from Namchi Singhithang and Bimal Rai has now bagged votes from this constituency.

Mani Kumar Sharma, a rebel legislator from Sikkim’s Krantikari Morcha, has bagged votes from his home constituency in Singtam Khamdong.

Bhaichung Bhutia joined the LDF in November and won his home constituency of Barfung. Former Gangtok city councilor Ashish Rai, who was rejected from contesting in 2019, returned to the party last year and bagged the coveted Alisan constituency as the LDF’s candidate in the 2024 elections .