Prem Singh Tamang sworn in as CM of Sikkim
Gangtok: Prem Singh Tamang, the leader of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Sikkim for the second consecutive term on Monday. The 56-year-old politician took the oath of office and secrecy, administered by Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, at a ceremony held in Paljor Stadium.
The event saw the swearing-in of eleven other ministers alongside Tamang. Thousands of SKM supporters gathered to witness the ceremony, cheering as their leader took the oath in Nepali. The stadium was filled with the sounds of firecrackers, a rare occurrence in Sikkim where such celebrations are typically prohibited.
The newly sworn-in ministers include Sonam Lama, Arun Kumar Upreti, Samdup Lepcha, Bhim Hang Limboo, Bhoj Raj Rai, G T Dhungel, Puran Kumar Gurung, Pintso Namgyal Lepcha, Nar Bahadur Dahal, Raju Basnet, and Tshering Thendup Bhutia. The council of ministers in Sikkim can have a maximum strength of 12, including the Chief Minister.
While Arun Kumar Upreti, Nar Bahadur Dahal, and Raju Basnet took their oaths in Nepali, the other ministers chose English. Notably, only four ministers from the previous government retained their positions.
Tamang rewarded two SKM MLAs, Bhoj Raj Rai and Raju Basnet, with ministerial positions for their victories over SDF supremo and former Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling in the Poklok-Kamrang and Namcheybung assembly constituencies, respectively.
Additionally, Nar Bahadur Dahal, a first-time MLA from Khamdong-Singtam, was included in the cabinet for his triumph over Mani Kumar Sharma, who had opposed Tamang in the previous term.
Despite the election of four women on SKM tickets, including Tamang’s wife Krishna Kumari Rai, no women were appointed to the cabinet.
Approximately 30,000 SKM leaders and workers attended the elaborate swearing-in ceremony. The state government declared a half-working day for government employees and closed educational institutions around the state capital as part of the security measures for the event.
