SDF announces candidates for Oct 21 Sikkim bypolls

The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has announced its candidates for the October 21 by-elections to three assembly seats.

The party's parliamentary board, during a meeting, cleared the candidature of Moses Rai from Poklok-Kamrang constituency, Nuk Tshering Bhutia from Martam-Rumtek and Rinzing Ongmu from Gangtok seat, an official statement said here on Saturday.

By-polls were necessitated after sitting MLAs who had contested two Assembly seats vacated one.

While the SDF bagged the Poklok-Kamrang and Martam- Rumtek segments earlier this year, the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha secured the Gangtok seat.

Assembly elections were held in the state simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections in April.

The Pawan Chamling-led SDF, which had ruled Sikkim for five successive terms between 1994 and 2019, suffered a major jolt post elections, with 10 of its 13 MLAs joining the BJP and two others switching over to the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha.