The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday fielded six candidates for civic polls in Sikkim, all of whom filed their nomination papers on the final day, as the party joined the fray amid a wider boycott by key opposition groups.
Srijana Chettri submitted her nomination from the Diesel Power House ward under the Gangtok Municipal Corporation. In Singtam Nagar Panchayat, Pempo Dorjee Lepcha filed from Tadong ward, while Rajani Singh Cintury entered the contest from Pipal Dara ward.
In Rangpo Nagar Panchayat in Pakyong district, Bhopal Baraily filed his nomination from Mandi Bazar ward. In Namchi district, Sangay Bhutia is contesting from Upper Ghurpisey ward of the Namchi Municipal Council, while Naren Subba filed from Dara Bazar ward of the Soreng Nagar Panchayat.
State BJP president D.R. Thapa expressed confidence in the party’s prospects and congratulated the candidates, asserting that all six would remain in the contest.
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Elections to 63 wards across various urban local bodies in the state are scheduled for April 24, with counting to take place the following day. Scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on April 2, while April 4 has been fixed as the last date for withdrawal.
Responding to questions over the limited number of nominees, Thapa said the revised reservation structure had posed challenges in identifying suitable candidates, though he maintained that the party would contest all six seats it has entered.
The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) has fielded candidates in all 63 wards, positioning itself strongly in the civic polls.
However, major opposition parties, including the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) and the Citizen Action Party (CAP), have boycotted the elections. They have cited concerns over seat reservations and alleged that the electoral process is partisan.
The SDF has claimed that the reservation framework does not reflect the demographic composition of certain areas. It alleged that wards with a significant presence of Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities have been reserved for other categories, raising questions over representation.
The civic polls are being closely watched in the state, with the boycott by opposition parties and the BJP’s limited participation shaping the contours of the contest.
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