Sikkim recognises PS Tamang as state’s undisputed satrap

Gangtok: Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang’s emergence as the undisputed satrap from Sikkim is the story of the year as he led the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) to a resounding victory in the April 2024 assembly polls.

Joining the company of his illustrious predecessors, Nar Bahadur Bhandari and Pawan Kumar Chamling, the 56-year-old guided the SKM to register a whitewash in 31 out of the 32 assembly seats which were up for grabs.

The ruling party rendered the assembly opposition-less and ensured an absolute margin in the House after Sikkim Democratic Front's lone MLA Tenzing Norbu Lamtha defected to the SKM three months later, swearing loyalty to the chief minister.

In perhaps one of the most one-sided state polls in Sikkim, Tamang retained power for a second successive term with 58.38 per cent votes, up 11.21 per cent compared to its 2019 performance and adding 14 seats to its earlier tally, while the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) polled a meagre 27.37 per cent votes, registering a slide of 20.26 per cent compared to the previous elections and down 14 seats.

The results were so overwhelmingly one-sided that Chamling, the five-term former chief minister, was rendered ineligible to set foot in the state legislative assembly for the first time in 40 years after he was vanquished by ruling party greenhorns from two assembly constituencies he had contested.

The landslide margin even surprised the chief minister who had set his sights on winning 26 seats.

“Twenty-six seats are certain. We will have to make serious efforts to convince the voters in the remaining six to get a bigger mandate to serve the people of Sikkim for a second term,” Tamang had said at one of his election rallies.

The SKM supremo gave credit for the party's landslide victory to the hard work of its cadres and the trust of the people in his government.

"It is because of the love and trust of the people that we have managed to secure in the past five years in government. Besides, party cadres worked very hard. Now, we have the next five years to give our 100 per cent for the people of Sikkim," he had said at a gathering in Paljor Stadium.

Taking oath as the chief minister for a second term a week later after the announcement of the election results, Tamang vowed to work hard to fulfil all the promises he made to the people.

"In five years, we will fulfil all the announcements that we made at the time of the elections," he said.

Post-elections, the SKM supremo has managed to significantly boost his stake in the NDA and earn extra yield from the bloc despite not having a formal alliance with the BJP.

Tamang has been observed attending all national events as well as swearing-in ceremonies of BJP governments in various states as an esteemed ally of the Narendra Modi-led power centre of the country.

Politics apart, Sikkim has also remained at the receiving end of nature’s fury this year after monsoon rains wreaked havoc with North Sikkim bearing the brunt of downpours, which destroyed road and communication infrastructure forcing evacuation of over 2000 stranded tourists by IAF helicopters and other modes of transportation in June.

The state also suffered a substantial financial brunt on its coffers after monsoon rains washed away large chunks of NH-10, the lone road link with the rest of the country, inside Sikkim and West Bengal, bringing commercial activities to a grinding halt for significant periods.

Taking note of this perennial woe of Sikkim, the Centre handed over the highway’s maintenance to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.