Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) president Pawan Kumar Chamling is contesting from two assembly constituencies this election to seek a record ninth term as an MLA.
The former five-term chief minister is in the fray from Poklok-Kamrang and Namcheybung assembly seats in Namchi and Gangtok districts respectively, dumping his traditional seat of Namchi-Singhithang in Namchi district.
The 73-year-old politician is locked in a quadrangular contest in Poklok-Kamrang, where he is pitted against BJP’s Arun Rai, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha’s Bhoj Raj Rai and Sanju Rai of Citizen Action Party-Sikkim (CAP-S).
In Namcheybung assembly constituency too, the SDF chief is in a quadrangular contest against two women candidates, Pooja Sharma (BJP) and Severine Rai (CAP-S), and former bureaucrat Raju Basnet.