Sikkim: Ashish Rai to join SDF back on Sept 19

The opposition party in Sikkim, the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) appears to be gaining in strength ahead of the assembly elections early next year. Several leaders who had previously left the party are making their way back to the party led by 5-time Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling.

According to reports, Ashish Rai along with Hamro Sikkim Party President Bhaichung Bhutia, is set to join the SDF on September 19.

Ashish Rai had stepped away from the SDF before the 2019 elections as he was not given the ticket as the party’s candidate from the Arithang assembly constituency. SDF gave the ticket to Shyam Pradhan from Arithang. Ashish contested as an Independent candidate and secured 33.99% of the total votes whereas Shyam Pradhan acquired 19.63%. The Arithang seat was won by ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM)’s Arun Kr Upreti, the Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly with a 40.02% vote share.

Rai has served as councillor in the Gangtok Municipal Corporation on two occasions when the Sikkim Democratic Front was in power.

On September 4, it was reported that Bhaichung Bhutia, the co-founder and president of the Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP), is also planning to join the Pawan Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front. Bhutia is expected to bring along several of his party leaders and merge HSP with SDF.

Bhutia launched HSP in 2018 to challenge the then-ruling SDF in Sikkim.

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