Sikkim Assembly Polls: 146 Candidates In Fray For 32 Seats, CM Tamang Aims To Retain Himalayan State

Sikkim Chief Minister and SKM supremo Prem Singh Tamang, former CM and SDF chief Pawan Kumar Chamling are among the 146 candidates who are contesting for 32 assembly seats.

The stage is set for the Sikkim Assembly Elections where 146 candidates are in fray for 32 assembly seats in the state. The Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements in view of the polling in the Himalayan state.

Sikkim Chief Minister and SKM supremo Prem Singh Tamang, former CM and SDF chief Pawan Kumar Chamling are among the 146 candidates who are contesting for 32 assembly seats.

Apart from Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh will also go for assembly polls. The voting will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm. But in some cases, the closure of poll timings will differ based on constituencies.

Key Candidates In Sikkim Assembly Polls

CM Tamang, who is spearheading the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM)'s bid to retain power, is contesting from two assembly seats- Rhenock and Soreng-Chakung in Gangtok and Soreng districts.

The SKM chief who is seeking a seventh consecutive term as MLA, is locked in a multi-cornered contest in both assembly seats with former minister and SDF nominee Som Nath Poudyal being his main challenger in Rhenock assembly constituency, while SDF candidate AD Subba is his main opponent in Soreng-Chakung assembly seat.

The SKM supremo's wife Krishna Kumari is contesting from Namchi-Singhithang assembly constituency where she is locked in a quadrangular contest in which the SDF has put up Bimal Rai.

Sikkim Democratic Front chief Pawan Kumar Chamling is seeking a record ninth term as MLA. He is contesting from two assembly constituencies, Poklok-Kamrang in Namchi and Namcheybung in Gangtok. Chamling is facing former bureaucrat and SKM nominee Raju Basnet, besides two women candidates, Pooja Sharma (BJP) and Severine Rai (CAP-Sikkim) in a quadrangular contest in Namcheybung assembly constituency.

In Poklok-Kamrang assembly constituency, the SDF patriarch is locked in a quadrangular contest with Bhoj Raj Rai of SKM being the other main candidate.

SDF vice president and the former football captain Bhaichung Bhutia is trying his luck from Barfung (BL) seat in Namchi district where he is contesting against SKM's RD Bhutia in a quadrangular contest. 

Sikkim unit BJP president and the sitting MLA D R Thapa is contesting from Upper Burtuk assembly constituency where the SKM's Kala Rai is other prominent candidate.

Elaborate Preparations Undertaken

The SKM and SDF have put up candidates on all 32 assembly seats followed by BJP (31), CAP-Sikkim (30) and Congress (12).

An estimated 4.64 lakh electorate, comprising 2.32 lakh male voters and 2.31 female are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect 32 MLAs and one Lok Sabha MP. 

The Election Commission has arranged for Assured Minimum Facilities along with accessibility-friendly infrastructure for PwDs and senior citizens in all polling stations, according to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) D Ananadan.

There are a total of 573 polling stations comprising 88 polling stations in urban areas and 485 in rural areas. Adequate CAPF forces and micro-observers will be deputed at critical polling stations which will also have webcasting arrangements, the CEO said.

81 sector magistrates, 71 sector police officers, 97 flying squads, 89 static surveillance teams, 62 video surveillance teams and 32 assistant expenditure observers have been appointed to maintain law and order and enforce the model code of conduct.