Sikkim Municipal Polls 2021

BJP starts talks with SKM, meeting soon to finalize way forward
GANGTOK,: The State BJP has started preliminary talks with its ally ruling SKM party for seat sharing in view of upcoming civic polls in Sikkim. As per a 2020 legislation, panchayat and urban bodies polls are now to be held on non-party basis.
“The Assembly has passed a bill to make municipal and panchayat elections in Sikkim non-party based which means elections would not be held under a political banner. However, Sikkim is a small place and it is inevitable that candidates, though independently contesting, would be affiliated or influenced with one or other political party. The SKM and BJP have an alliance government and based on this, we will discuss and come to a mutual agreement on what kind of formula needs to be prepared,” said State BJP president D.B. Chauhan to SIKKIM EXPRESS on Monday.
Chauhan maintained that the BJP takes every elections in a serious manner, whether it is local-level, State or national polls. Accordingly, we have formed a committee which is on lookout for persons with good social image as independents and support them in the municipal elections, he said.
Though officially there would be no party candidates, the BJP is working on reaching an understanding with the ruling SKM for seat sharing and post-election scenario.
“We are working on it (seat sharing). We have started our talks and our matter has already reached the SKM high command. Very soon we will sit for a meeting and finalize on how to go about it,” said the State BJP president.
Chauhan expressed his confidence that a proper understanding would be reached regarding the civic elections with the SKM. Also after winning the elections, we are confident that we (BJP & SKM) will move ahead together on posts like Mayor, deputy Mayor and chairpersons, he said.
The municipal elections in Sikkim are expected to be held in April.
Sikkim has a three-tier civic body with Gangtok Municipal Corporation, three municipal councils at Namchi, Nayabazaar-Jorethang and Geyzing, and three Nagar Panchayats at Singtam, Rangpo and Mangan.