Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang to contest from two assembly seats, fields wife against Chamling

Gangtok: Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang will contest from two assembly constituencies in the upcoming polls even as his wife Krishna Kumari Rai will take on the opposition SDF's president Pawan Kumar Chamling in Namchi-Singhithang seat.

The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha on Monday released its candidate list for all the 32 assembly seats and the lone Lok Sabha constituency in the Himalayan state. It re-nominated incumbent MP Indra Hang Subba for the Lok Sabha seat.

The decision to field Tamang from the constituencies of Soreng-Chakung and Rhenock, and his wife against Chamling, a five-term CM, has been taken by the SKM parliamentary board, Assembly Speaker Arun Kumar Upreti told reporters here.

Upreti has been fielded from Arithang assembly constituency.

The SKM has given tickets to nine ministers and dropped two others.

The ruling party has also dropped the chief minister's son Aditya Golay from Soreng-Chakung seat with Tamang himself deciding to contest from there.

The SKM also rewarded three BJP defectors -- Rajkumari Thapa, Sonam Venchungpa and Pinsto Namgyal Lepcha -- with tickets from Rangang-Yangyang, Martam-Rumtek and Dzongu seats respectively.

Among the ministers, Kunga Nima Lepcha and Sonam Lama have been fielded from Shyari and Sangha assembly seats respectively, while BS Panth and LB Das have been fielded from Teri Namphing and West Pendam seats respectively.

Samdup Lepcha and Sanjeet Kharel have been given tickets from Lachen-Mangan and Namthang Rateypani assembly seats respectively, while Lok Nath Sharma and Mingma Norbu Sherpa have been fielded from Gyalshing Barnyak and Daramdin assembly seats respectively.

Bhim Hang Limbu has been given the ticket from Yangthang assembly seat.

The SKM has dropped two ministers, Bishnu Kharel and Karma Loden Bhutia, who had last time won from Rhenock and Kabi Lungchuk seats respectively, with the CM himself contesting from Kharel's seat, while Karma Loden Bhutia has been replaced by TT Bhutia.

Among other candidates, Tshering Thendup Bhutia will contest from Yoksam-Tashiding seat, while Sudesh Kumar Subba will fight from Maneybung-Dentam.

Erung Tenzing Lepcha will seek election from Rinchenpong, while Madan Cintury has been fielded from Salghari-Zoom seat. The SKM has fielded Rikshal Dorjee Bhutia in Barfung and Bhoj Raj Rai in Poklok-Kamrang seat.

Nar Bahadur Pradhan has been given the ticket from Melli assembly seat, while Samdup Tshering Bhutia will contest from Tumen-Lingi constituency.

Nar Bahadur Dahal has been fielded from Khamdong-Singtam, while Puran Gurung will contest from Chujachen.

The ruling party has fielded Pamin Lepcha from Gnathang-Machong and Raju Basnet from Namcheybung.

GT Dhungel will contest from Upper Tadong, while Delay Namgyal Barfungpa has been fielded from Gangtok. Kala Rai has been ticket from Upper Burtuk.