Sikkim municipal election today

Nirmal Mangar, TT, Gangtok, Oct. 8:  Elections to a municipal corporation, three municipal councils and two nagar panchayats will be held tomorrow.

The bodies that would go to polls are Gangtok Municipal Corporation (17 wards), Namchi Municipal Council, Nayabazaar-Jorethang Municipal Council and Gyalshing Municipal Council along with Singtam nagar panchayat and Rangpo nagar panchayat.

In the Assembly polls last year, SDF had lost the Gangtok seat to the SKM. In the 2010 civic polls, the SDF had won all seats.

Yesterday, chief minister Pawan Chamling had said: "I am confident that our party, the SDF, will win all wards. I appeal to the people to vote for the SDF for peace, security and development."

The SDF is banking on the uncertainty among the leaders of SKM. "The exit of prominent leaders from the SKM and some joining the SDF could be a factor that can affect the results," said an observer.

After the 2014 polls, SKM chief and leader of Opposition in the Assembly, P.S. Golay, went "underground" for several months. In the past two weeks, 10-odd SKM leaders have joined the SDF.

P.T. Lucksom, SKM advisor, joined the SDF today.

SKM MLA Kunga Nima Lepcha, however, said all this would hardly affect the party. "These people have come from other parties. We term them political tourists. Their exit will definitely not make any difference."

The Congress has not fielded any candidate and the BJP is contesting from four wards, two in the Gangtok municipal corporation and two in the nagar panchayats.

Counting is on October 12.