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SDF, SSP declare candidates in Sikkim

Electioneering for the assembly polls in Sikkim has gained momentum with the announcement of the first list of candidates by the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front and its arch-rival Sikkim Sangram Parishad. Both the parties announced their first list of 23 candidates for the state's 32 assembly constituencies.

SSP chief and former chief minister, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, has decided to contest from two constituencies. Besides contesting for a record fifth time from Soreng in west Sikkim, Bhandari will also try his luck from the Nepalese upper-caste dominated Rhenock constituency in east Sikkim.

The SDF has pitted a former Bhandari colleague and lawyer R B Subba in Soreng against the former chief minister. Mr Subba had crossed over to the SDF only a day before his candidature was announced by Chamling here last week.

Chief Minister and SDF president, Pawan Chamling, will contest from his home constituency of Damthang for the fourth time in a row. The SSP is yet to announce its candidate against Chamling.

The SDF, while retaining most of its cabinet ministers, has dropped only two. Aita Singh Baraily from the reserved scheduled caste constituency of Rateypani (west Pandem) has been replaced by former SSP MLA, C K Mohra. Transport Minister D B Thapa has been replaced by Vinod Pradhan, former chairman and political secretary to the chief minister, in the Loosing Pachekhani constituency in east Sikkim.

The 23 names released by the SDF include those of 11 ministers. The list has only one newcomer - former school teacher O T Lepcha, who has been given the party ticket for the reserved tribal constituency of Richenpong in west Sikkim.

The opposition SSP's list also contains several former ministers including Bhandari, P L Gurung and O T Bhutia. The SSP has also announced its candidate for the state's unique Buddhist Monastic seat of Sangha. It has fielded a Buddhist scholar and monk Dorjee Dadul Dubla Lama here.

The SSP and the SDF have announced their respective candidates for eight of the state's 12 reserved tribal Bhutia-Lepcha constituencies.

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