Sikkim Chief Minister and SKM supremo Prem Singh Tamang, former CM and SDF chief Pawan Kumar Chamling are among the 146 candidates in fray for 32 assembly seats which will go to the polls on Friday amid elaborate security arrangements in the Himalayan state.
Tamang, who is spearheading the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM)'s bid to retain power, is contesting from two assembly seats, Rhenock in Gangtok district and Soreng-Chakung in his native Soreng district.
The SKM chief who is seeking a seventh consecutive term as MLA, is locked in a multi-cornered contest in both assembly constituencies with former minister and SDF nominee Som Nath Poudyal being his main challenger in Rhenock assembly constituency, while SDF candidate AD Subba is his main opponent in Soreng-Chakung assembly constituency.
The SKM supremo's wife Krishna Kumari is contesting from Namchi-Singhithang assembly constituency where she is locked in a quadrangular contest in which the SDF has put up Bimal Rai.
Sikkim Democratic Front chief Pawan Kumar Chamling is seeking a record ninth term as MLA. He is contesting from two assembly constituencies, Poklok-Kamrang in Namchi district and Namcheybung in Gangtok district.
The 74-year-old Chamling is facing former bureaucrat and SKM nominee Raju Basnet, besides two women candidates, Pooja Sharma (BJP) and Severine Rai (CAP-Sikkim) in a quadrangular contest in Namcheybung assembly constituency.
In Poklok-Kamrang assembly constituency, the SDF patriarch is locked in a quadrangular contest with Bhoj Raj Rai of SKM being the other main candidate.
SDF vice president and the former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia is trying his luck from Barfung (BL) seat in Namchi district where he is being challenged by the SKM's RD Bhutia in a quadrangular contest. Sikkim unit BJP president and the sitting MLA D R Thapa is contesting from Upper Burtuk assembly constituency where the SKM's Kala Rai is other prominent candidate.
The SKM and SDF have put up candidates on all 32 assembly seats followed by BJP (31), CAP-Sikkim (30) and Congress (12).
For the lone Lok Sabha seat in Sikkim which will also go to the polls on Friday, sitting MP Indra Hang Subba, former MP PD Rai, BJP's DC Nepal and Gopal Chhetri (Congress) and Bharat Basnet (CAP-Sikkim) are the main contenders among 14 candidates.
An estimated 4.64 lakh electorate, comprising 2,32,381 male voters and 2,31,545 female will be eligible to exercise their franchise to elect 32 MLAs and the lone Lok Sabha MP.
