Mamata Banerjee Meets Former Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling, Discusses Potential Collaboration

PTI, Kolkata, January 14, 2025 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday met former Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling at state secretariat ‘Nabanna’, describing it as a “political and courtesy meeting”. Chamling has invited Banerjee to visit Sikkim, she said. " "Today at Nabanna, I had the honour of meeting Pawan Chamling, who served as Sikkim's Chief Minister for an unprecedented 25 years (1994-2019),” Banerjee said in a Facebook post.that was appended with a short video.

“It was a political and courtesy meeting during which Pawan Chamling graciously extended an invitation to visit Sikkim, emphasising the potential for collaboration and working together on shared goals," the TMC supremo added. 

The septuagenarian Chamling is the founding president of the Sikkim Democratic Front.

Agencies: Chamling, the founding president of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), has seen his party’s influence wane following the 2019 elections. In that year, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), led by P.S. Tamang (Golay), took power, marking a significant shift in the state's political landscape. Since then, the SDF has struggled with diminishing support, as many of its workers and leaders have defected to other parties.

Political analysts suggest that Chamling may be seeking to strengthen his ties with Banerjee, who is a prominent figure in the anti-BJP coalition. Tamang’s SKM, although aligned with the BJP, contested the state assembly elections separately from the party, raising the possibility of future political realignments. It is assumed that Chamling wants to improve political relations with Mamata Banerjee, who is a key face in the opposition bloc against the BJP.”

Chamling’s daughter, Komal Chamling, who is viewed as his potential successor, also attended the meeting, adding another layer of intrigue to the political dynamics in Sikkim. Chamling had maintained a cordial relationship with Banerjee during his tenure as Chief Minister, and the invitation to Banerjee to visit Sikkim may indicate a desire for renewed cooperation between the two leaders.

The meeting, which took place in the state secretariat, highlights the growing prospects for collaboration between West Bengal and Sikkim, with Banerjee and Chamling discussing possible shared goals for the future.