PS Golay sworn in as new Sikkim Chief Minister

Gangtok: Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) president Prem Singh Tamang, popularly known as PS Golay, took oath as the Chief Minister of Sikkim on Monday.

The 51-year-old Golay was administered the oath of office by Governor Ganga Prasad at a function at Paljor Stadium here. Golay is not a member of the state assembly at present as he did not contest the polls.

Hundreds of SKM supporters who were at the stadium cheered the party chief when he was taking the oath in Nepali language. Former chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling and senior Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) leaders were conspicuous by their absence at the swearing-in.

The SKM, founded in 2013, won a slender majority in the 32-member Sikkim Legislative Assembly by bagging 17 seats against 15 won by the SDF. The Chamling government was ousted by the SKM after over 24 years.

Some ministers are likely to be sworn in along with Golay, who was elected as the leader of the SKM legislature party on Saturday night.

The SKM supremo, accompanied by the 17 newly-elected legislators of his party, on Saturday had called on the Governor and staked claim to form the next government in Sikkim.

Prasad had reportedly told the SKM delegation to wait for his decision as he sought legal opinion on the matter as Golay had been convicted to a year's imprisonment in a corruption case in 2016 and had served the prison term, sources said.

After getting the legal opinion, the Governor invited Golay to form the next government, the Raj Bhavan source added.

The SKM, founded in 2013, won a slender majority in the 32-member Sikkim legislative assembly by bagging 17 seats against 15 won by the SDF.

 

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