Gangtok, May 16 (Inditop) Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling was set to return to power for a fourth time with his Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) leading as the counting of votes cast for the assembly and Lok Sabha polls was underway Saturday.
Counting began at 8 a.m. for 12 assembly constituencies in the Sikkim East district, three constituencies in North Sikkim, nine constituencies in Sikkim West and nine constituencies in Sikkim South.
By 1 p.m., 17 assembly results were declared – all in favour of the SDF. The party candidate P.D. Rai also bagged the state’s lone Lok Sabha seat, defeating K.N. Upreti of the Congress by a margin of over 3,000 votes.
The chief minister, who contested the assembly polls from Poklok-Kamrang and Namchi-Singhithang, won both the seats of South Sikkim with margins of over 6,000 and 7,000 votes respectively.
SDF candidate Aam Prasad Sharma defeated Congress state unit president N.B. Bhandari by a margin of 1,000 votes to wrest the the Singtam-Khamdong assembly seat in East Sikkim.
In the same district, the West Pendam constituency was won by the SDF’s Neeru Sewa, who defeated Congress candidate Jagdish Cintury by over 1,000 votes. The Nathang-Machong constituency was bagged by SDF’s Laxuman Lepcha.
The Rhenock and Namcheybong seats were wrested by the SDF’s Bhim Dungel and Beg Bahadur Rai respectively. Their party colleague Puran Gurung won the Chujachen seat by beating the Congress’ Harka Raj Guruns by 4,800 votes. Here, Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP) president Biraj Adhikari got only 71 votes.
In North Sikkim, T.T. Bhutia of the SDF bagged the Kabi-Lungchok constituency, beating Ugen Bhutia of the Congress. SDF candidate Sonam Gyatso Lepcha defeated Congress nominee Norden Tshering to grab the Dzongu constituency.
SDF nominee Tshering Wangdi Lepcha stole the victory from Congress candidate Anil Lachenpa by the lowest winning margin of 500 in Lachen-Mangan constituency.
In West Sikkim, Barfung constituency was won by Dawcho Lepcha of the SDF against Aden Tshering of the Congress. The SDF’s Chandra Maya Subba beat Laxuman Gurung of the Congress in Maneybong-Dentam seat, while Yangthang constituency was wrested by the SDF’s P.L. Subba.
Ugen Gyatso Bhutia of the SDF won the Tumin-Lingee constituency in South Sikkim, beating Phuchung Bhutia of the Congress.
Melli and Namthang-Rateypani seats of the same district were won by the SDF’s Tulsi Devi Rai and Tilu Gurung respectively.