SKM meets Sikkim governor, stakes claim to form govt

A delegation of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) which has emerged victorious in the Assembly elections in Sikkim met Governor Ganga Prasad and staked claim to form the government.

SKM ended the 25-year long tenure of Pawan Chamling, a five-time chief minister who heads the erstwhile ruling party Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF).

SKM achieved majority by winning seats compared to the 15 won by SDF. However, the SKM leadership remained tight-lipped about who will be their legislative party leader and eventually the new chief minister of the border state.

SKM chief P S Golay who led the party delegation told reporters at the Raj Bhavan after meeting the governor that they requested him to invite his party to form the next government.

However, he said that the party will soon take a call as to who will become the next chief minister. Though Golay did not contest the polls, the party rank and file want him to become the next chief minister, the sources said.

Not only was Golay convicted in a corruption case and served one-year imprisonment, he was also disqualified as MLA in 2017.

Meanwhile, Chamling who has already tendered his resignation said that he will continue to work as the Opposition leader.

“I'm a soldier of democracy. I will stay wherever people keep me. This time they want me to be in the Opposition and I respect that mandate. Now I shall show what opposition is and what its real role is,” stated Chamling in a Facebook post.