Of the fourteen candidates for the assembly elections, the BJP has retained two sitting MLAs. (Representative)
Gangtok:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced the list of 14 candidates who will contest for the 32 seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly.
Besides the Assembly candidates, the BJP also announced its choice for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Sikkim. The party has proposed Dinesh Chandra Nepal, a former bureaucrat in the Sikkim government, as the party’s candidate for this seat.
Of the fourteen candidates for the 2024 Assembly elections, the BJP has retained two sitting legislators.
Sikkim BJP president DR Thapa, the sitting legislator from Upper Burtuk constituency, defected from the Sikkim Democratic Front party and has secured his own constituency’s ticket.
Similarly, MLA Narendra Kumar Subba, who also joined the BJP after Mr Thapa in 2019, has retained his Maneybong Dentam constituency.
The candidate declaration comes in the wake of the cancellation of the alliance between the BJP and the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha Party on March 23. This decision was taken by Sikkim BJP president DR Thapa after a meeting with the party leadership in New Delhi. On Sunday, four sitting lawmakers resigned from the BJP party.
Sonam Tshering Venchungpa, elected from Martam Rumtek constituency, along with three defectors from the Sikkim Democratic Front party – Raj Kumari Thapa (Yangang-Rangang), Tashi Thendup Bhutia (Barfung) and Pintso Namgyal Lepcha (Dzongu) – also resigned from the BJP party.
Among the other prominent candidates declared, former lawmaker Tseten Tashi Bhutia has been awarded the coveted Sangha seat, a non-territorial constituency for religious propagation in the state.
Mr. Bhutia has been one of the strongest advocates for the protection of the ancient laws of Sikkim under Article 371F of the Indian Constitution. Tseten Tashi has also been a great unifier of the Bhutia Lepcha communities of the state and was the chairman of the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC).
Other BJP candidates include Kinjong Sherap Bhutia from Yuksam Tashiding constituency, Sanchaman Limboo from Yangthang, Sancho Lepcha from Rinchenpong, Phurba Dorjee Sherpa from Daramdin, Purna Singh Subba from Soreng Chakung, Pahalman Kami from Zoom Salghari, Tashi Dadul Bhutia from Barfung , Arjun Rai from Poklok Kamrang, Sangey Gyatso Bhutia from Gnathang Machong, Udai Gurung from Arithang and Ugen Nedup Bhutia from Kabi Lungchok constituency.
The Lok Sabha elections in Sikkim are expected to take place in a single phase on April 19, 2024. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Prem Das Rai of the Sikkim Democratic Front emerged victorious. Indra Hang Subba of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) won the only Lok Sabha seat in Sikkim in 2019.
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