Sikkim Assembly Polls: Voting on Apr 19, counting on Jun 4

Last date of filing nominations is March 27 and last date of withdrawal of candidature is Mar 30

Elections to the 11th Sikkim Assembly will be held on April 19 and counting of votes will take place on June 4, the Election Commission of India announced in New Delhi today.

This time the main fight for the 32-member Assembly will be between ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) and Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) that had ruled the state from 1994 to 2019.

This time besides BJP, SKM and SDF, newly launched Citizen Action Party (CAP) too will be in the fray.

In 2019, SKM won 17 of the total 32 Assembly seats. SKM MLA Kunga Nima Lepcha two seats – Gangtok and Shyari

SDF won the remaining 15 seats (actually 13 as 2 of its MLAs won from 2 seats each). Party chief Pawan Chamling won from two seats – Namchi-Shingthang and Poklok-Kamrang and Dorjee Tshering Lepcha too won from 2 seats – Martam-Rumtek and Gnathang-Machong.

But in August 2019, 10 SDF MLAs quit the party and joined BJP bringing the SDF tally down to 3. BJP’s tally went further up to 12 after Sonam Tshering Venchungpa won from Martam-Rumtek and Yong Tshering Lepcha won from the Gangtok seat in the by polls held in October 2019.

For the SKM, the tally went up to 19 after two SDF MLAs joined the party and current CM PS Tamang won the Poklok-Kamrang seat in the October 2019 by-poll. SDF’s Pawan Chamgling had vacated the seat and retained the Namchi-Shingthang seat. Tamang defeated SDF’s Moses Rai.

Now Chamling is the only SDF MLA in the Sikkim Assembly.

SDF has announced the names of 6 candidates –

Five-time former Chief Minister, 8-time MLA and SDF President Pawan Chamling would be contesting from Namchi-Singhithang for the 8th time. He is the sitting MLA of Namchi-Singhithang, his home constituency. He has been winning the seat since 1985, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.

In 2009, Chamling had contested from Poklok-Kamrang and Namchi-Singhithang and won both the seats.

In 2014, Chamling contested from Namchi-Singhithang and Rangang-Yangang and won both the seats.

In 2019, Chamling again contested from Namchi-Singhithang and Poklok-Kamrang and won both the seats.

The other candidates are:

Norzang Lepcha to contest from Tunim Lingee. He is former MLA from Rakdong Tintek (East Sikkim) seat. In 2016, he was accused of misusing government funds to the tune of Rs one crore.

Hissey Lachungpa to contest from Lachen Mangan. He is former Minister and was Rajya Sabha MP from February 2012 to February 2024.

Gnawong Chopel Lepcha has been fielded from Kabi Lungchok. Ashis Rai would be contesting from Arithang. 

Sikkim’s former Power Minister and former Deputy Speaker of Sikkim Assembly, Sonam Gyasto Lepcha has been fielded from Dzongu.

SKM, BJP and CAP are yet to announce their candidates.

The term of the current Sikkim Assembly will end on June 24 this year.

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