The BJP on Sunday named MLA Dorjee Tshering Lepcha as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha election in Sikkim.

In a statement, BJP’s national general secretary Arun Singh said the central election committee of the party has approved the name of Lepcha for the January 19 election.

Lepcha, 66, is at present the MLA of the Gnathang Machong seat in the Pakyong district.

He was a minister in the previous SDF government, and joined the BJP along with nine other party MLAs after the 2019 assembly elections, in which the SKM came to power.

As a minister, he held portfolios such as Buildings & Housing, and Transport.

Lepcha said he will try to serve the Himalayan state to the best of his abilities by raising its issues in Parliament.

“I sincerely thank PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda for reposing their faith in me to serve the party and my state, Sikkim, as a representative in Rajya Sabha,” he told a press conference.

He said that he will file his nomination papers on January 9, the last date.

The lone Rajya Sabha seat in the state is at present held by Hishey Lachungpa of the opposition SDF. His tenure will end on February 23. He served as Rajya Sabha MP for two successive terms.

In the 32-member Sikkim assembly, SKM has 19 members, BJP has 12 and the SDF has one member.

Indicating that the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) was on board to facilitate Lepcha’s election to Rajya Sabha, BJP state president DR Thapa claimed that his party has Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang’s support in the polls.

The SKM, which is a part of the BJP-led NDA, is yet to officially declare support for Lepcha or field a candidate. The two parties do not work together in the state, despite the alliance at the national level.

The opposition SDF has also not announced its candidate yet.