It’s 8/8 for SDF from West as well

GANGTOK, 16 May: Yoksam-Tashiding enjoys the No. 1 in the listing of constituencies for Sikkim and opened the account for SDF on a strong note in the Assembly election results today. SDF debutante for this elections, Sonam Dadul Bhutia, won with a strong margin, securing 6,777 of the 9,755 votes polled in Yoksam-Tashiding. His closest rival, SKM’s Thutop Bhutia [a former SDF Minister], received 2,559 votes. This victory opened up the district for SDF which went on to comfortably win all eight constituencies here.

Next up, Yangthang had SDF’s sitting MLA, Chandra Maya Subba, register a comfortable victory, receiving 5,211 votes against SKM’s Khaka Bahadur Subba’s 3,571 votes.

Maneybong-Dentam secured among the strongest victories for SDF this election with Narendra Kumar Subba bagging 7,737 of the 10,373 votes polled. SKM’s Birbal Tamling received 2,519 votes.

Gyalshing-Barnyak, from where SB Subedi was staging a return for SDF after a one-term layoff, saw a keener contest with Mr. Subedi emerging victorious with 4,529 votes against LN Sharma of SKM’s 3,890 votes.

Rinchenpong, in contrast, had SDF winning big again with Karma Sonam Lepcha snapping up 7,347 of the 10,592 votes polled. Pema Kinzang Bhutia of SKM was distant second with 2,891 votes.

Daramdin had seen its share of controversy in the run-up and even on the day of voting, but that did not spoil things for SDF as here too it won comfortably. Danorbu Sherpa of SDF polled 6,250 votes and won. SKM’s Mingma Norbu Sherpa received 4,646 votes.

Soreng-Chakung was the big ticket constituency for West Sikkim because it is from where the SKM president PS Tamang [Golay] hails and from where the SKM working president Bharati Sharma was contesting. SDF had fielded Ram Bahadur Subba from this constituency and he won the constituency, reasonably comfortably in the end, for the party. Mr. Subba received 6,596 votes against Ms. Sharma’s 4,667 votes.

The final constituency of West Sikkim, Salghari-Zoom, also voted in favour of SDF, whose Arjun Kumar Ghatani won with 4,250 votes against the 3,471 polled by SKM’s Bhanu Pratap Rasailly.