Bharatiya Janata Party set to win sole Rajya Sabha seat of Sikkim uncontested

The presence of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) MLAs — the party in power in the Himalayan state — including chief minister P.S. Tamang and some other state ministers, during the nomination, also hinted at a pre-poll alliance between the SKM and the BJP

TT Correspondent, Siliguri, 10.01.24 : The BJP is all set to win the sole Rajya Sabha seat of Sikkim as only one candidate of the party filed his nomination for the seat in the state till Tuesday, the last day to do so.

The presence of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) MLAs — the party in power in the Himalayan state — including chief minister P.S. Tamang and some other state ministers, during the nomination, also hinted at a pre-poll alliance between the SKM and the BJP.

After the elections were announced for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat, the BJP had announced the name of Dorjee Tsherin Lepcha, an MLA from Gnathang Machong constituency in Sikkim.

On Tuesday, Lepcha filed his nomination in the office of Lalit Kumar Gurung, the secretary of the Sikkim legislative Assembly secretariat and returning officer of the election.

The 66-year-old politician, who is a five-time MLA, was accompanied by Tamang and state ministers, as he reached the secretariat and submitted his nomination papers.

“At the end of the process of filing of nomination, only one nomination (of Lepcha) was received by the office of the returning officer. The filing concluded at 3pm on Tuesday,” said a government press release.

Along with the parliamentary elections which will be held this year, Assembly elections will also be held in the Himalayan state.

In Sikkim, there is only one Lok Sabha MP seat. The state has a 32-member Assembly.

“As the SKM has lent support to BJP in the Rajya Sabha seat, it is evident that there will be an alliance between the parties for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls,” observed a political veteran based in Sikkim.

Lepcha, asked about the issue, dodged a direct reply.

“I thank the chief minister and others who were present today (Tuesday) during my nomination. So far as the issue of alliance is concerned, only senior leaders of the party can comment on it,” he said.

Courtesy & source: The Telegraph