GANGTOK, June 2: Five-time former chief minister of Sikkim and SDF supremo Pawan Kumar Chamling lost from both Poklok Kamrang and Namcheybung Assembly constituencies he contested, officials said.
Chamling an eight-time MLA lost to Sikkim Krantikari Morcha’s Bhoj Raj Rai by 3,063 votes in the Poklok Kamrang seat in his native Namchi district.
Rai polled 8,037 votes while Chamling got 4,974 votes. Arjun Rai (BJP) and Sanju Rai (CAP-S) got 739 and 691 votes respectively in the Poklok Kamrang Assembly seat.
The five-time former CM lost to SKM’s Raju Basnet by 2,256 votes from the Namcheybung assembly constituency. Basnet bagged 7,195 votes while Chamling got 4,939.
Severine Rai of Citizen Action Party-Sikkim received 814 votes while BJP’s Pooja Sharma got 374 votes.
Chamling was the chief minister of Sikkim for 25 years from 1994 to 2019.
It will be the first time in 39 years that Chamling will not step inside the Sikkim Legislative Assembly as a lawmaker.
The SDF contested in all 32 Assembly seats in the Himalayan state but could manage to win only one seat.
The SKM returned to power in Sikkim by winning 31 of the 32 Assembly seats. Polling for the Assembly elections in Sikkim was held with Lok Sabha elections on April 19. (PTI)
