Sikkim CM wins from Poklok Kamrang seat, BJP bags two seats

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang aka PS Golay won the by-poll to the Poklok Kamrang Assembly seat by a margin of 8,953 votes while Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) ally BJP registered its first-ever electoral victory in the state by winning two seats. Golay, the SKM founder, defeated his nearest rival Moses Rai of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), an election official said.

While Golay registered 10,811 votes, Rai polled 1,858 votes. The SKM supremo secured 84 per cent of the 12,870 votes polled in the seat on October 21.

By-poll to Poklong Kamrang was necessitated after former chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling of the SDF vacated it on winning two seats in the Assembly elections held earlier this year. BJP candidates Sonam TSH Venchungpa and Yong Tshering Lepcha won from Martam Rumtek and Gangtok Assembly constituencies respectively.

Venchungpa defeated his nearest rival Nuk Tshering Bhutia of the SDF by 6,150 votes. He polled 8,204 votes while Bhutia secured 2,054 votes.

Lepcha defeated his nearest rival Delay Namgyal Barfungpa of the Sikkim National People's Party by 1,010 votes. While Lepcha polled 2,508 votes, Barfungpa bagged 1,498 votes.

Former Indian football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia, who contested the by-poll to the Gangtok seat on a Hamro Sikkim Party ticket, bagged only 579 votes. With the announcement of the by-poll results, the ruling SKM's tally in the 32-member House has gone up to 19 while the BJP's strength in the House is 12.

Though the saffron party has registered its first-ever electoral victory in the Himalayan state, 10 SDF legislators had earlier switched to the BJP. The SDF's tally stands at one in the House, with Pawan Kumar Chamling as its lone MLA..