Wikipedia

Prem Singh Tamang

Prem Singh Tamang (born 5 February 1968), better known as P. S. Golay,[2] is an Indian politician and former teacher who is serving as the 6th and current Chief Minister of Sikkim since 2019 and the founder and leader of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha since 2019. He represents the Poklok-Kamrang in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly since 2019, Upper Burtuk from 2009 to 2019 and Chakung from 1994 to 2009. Before forming the SKM party, he was a key member of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) Party.[2][3]

Prem Singh Tamang
Tamang in 2019
6th Chief Minister of Sikkim
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 May 2019
GovernorGanga Prasad
Lakshman Acharya
Om Prakash Mathur
Preceded byPawan Kumar Chamling
Leader of the House in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 May 2019
GovernorGanga Prasad
Lakshman Acharya
Om Prakash Mathur
SpeakerLall Bahadur Das
Arun Kumar Upreti
Mingma Narbu Sherpa
Preceded byPawan Kumar Chamling
Parliamentary offices
Member of Legislative Assembly, Sikkim
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 June 2024
Preceded byBishnu Kumar Sharma
ConstituencyRhenock
In office
1 June 2024 – 14 June 2024
Preceded byAditya Tamang
ConstituencySoreng–Chakung
In office
21 October 2019 – 2 June 2024
Preceded byPawan Kumar Chamling
Succeeded byBhoj Raj Rai
ConstituencyPoklok-Kamrang
In office
30 April 2009 – 11 April 2019
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byDilli Ram Thapa
ConstituencyUpper Burtuk
In office
16 November 1994 – 2 March 2009
Preceded byTara Man Rai
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
ConstituencyChakung
Personal details
Born (1968-02-05) 5 February 1968 (age 56)
Soreng, India
Political partySikkim Krantikari Morcha
Other political
affiliations		National Democratic Alliance
Sikkim Democratic Front (till 2013)
SpouseKrishna Kumari Rai
Children2, including Aditya Tamang
Residence(s)Singling, Sikkim, India[1]
EducationDarjeeling Government College (BA, 1988)[1]
Occupation
  • Politiciant
  • teacher
NicknameP. S. Golay

Personal life

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Tamang was born on 5 February 1968 in the Nepali-speaking Kalu Singh Tamang and Dhan Maya Tamang.[2] He hails from Singling Busty, West Sikkim.[1] He graduated with a degree in Bachelors of Arts from Darjeeling Government College in 1988.[1] After graduation, he worked as a teacher in a state-run school.[2] He is married to Krishna Rai.[4] His son is politician Aditya Tamang, who is also a member of Sikkim Legislative Assembly from Soreng-Chakung.[5][6]

In 2024, Tamang was conferred with the Gorkha Gaurav Samman 2024 award by the Nepali language daily Himalaya Darpan.[7]

Political career

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In 1990, he was appointed a graduate teacher under the HRD Department in the Government of Sikkim and served until 1993.

Due to his active interest in social work and politics, he resigned from government service and started participating in the political activities of SDF. As the SDF candidate in the Soreng-Chakung constituency, West Sikkim, he was elected to the Sikkim Legislative Assembly in 1994. During his affiliations with the SDF party, he served as State Youth Convenor and Vice-President.

Sikkim government career

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He served in ministerial roles in the Sikkim government for three consecutive terms. From 1994 to 1999 as the Minister for Animal Husbandry, Ecclesiastical and Industry Department. From 1999 to 2004 as the Minister for Industries and Animal Husbandry. From 2004 to 2009 as the Minister for Building and Housing Department.

In 2009, after winning an election in the Burtuk Constituency, he was nominated as the Chairperson of Industries Department. However, he did not serve as chairperson. After establishment of his party Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, during 2014 he was elected as MLA from Burtuk Constituency.

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha party

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Golay became a dissident MLA of the SDF party after the Rolu Picnic event that was conducted by employees of Sikkim on 21 December 2009. The ruling party called a show-cause notice to the government workers who attended the Rolu Picnic.

Following this incident, Golay decided to found the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, which opposed the SDF, on 4 February 2013 in Soreng, West Sikkim. On 6 September 2013 he officially resigned from all SDF party duties and became the president of the SKM party. During the election of 2014, the party gained ten of thirty-two seats in the Sikkim State Legislative Assembly under the leadership of Golay. Overall, in the 2014 election, Golay's party shared 42% of total votes in Sikkim.

On 13 January 2017, he was disqualified from the Sikkim Legislative Assembly after being convicted on 28 December 2016 for misappropriating government funds while with the SDF between 1994 and 1999.[8] In 2017, he became the main opposition leader of Sikkim, serving as a president of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha. His release after conviction on 10 August 2018 witnessed massive gathering.

Chief Minister of Sikkim

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Golay led the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha to victory in 2019 assembly elections winning 17 out of 32 seats in the legislative assembly which eventually ended the 24-year rule of the Pawan Kumar Chamling led Sikkim Democratic Front.[9] On 24 May 2019, SKM spokesperson Jacob Khaling said Golay will head the government in the state however, according to constitutional experts, his conviction under the Prevention of Corruption Act might be a hindrance for him becoming the Chief Minister of Sikkim.[10]

On 27 May 2019, Golay, who did not contest the legislative assembly polls, was sworn in the 6th Chief Minister of the state of Sikkim.[11][12][13] Golay won from Poklok-Kamrang in the by-election with 10,811 votes, securing 84% of the total vote share.[14]

Golay led the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha to victory in 2024 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election winning 31 out of 32 seats with a vote percentage of 58.38%.[15][16]

Electoral records

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Sikkim Legislative Assembly election
Year Constituency Political Party Result Position Votes % Votes % Margin Deposit Source
1994 Chakung Sikkim Democratic Front Won 1st/4 3,372 59.48 +28.33 refunded [17]
1999 Won 1st/3 3,572 57.94 +18.69 refunded [18]
2004 Won 1st/4 6,644 94.42 +91.59 refunded [19]
2009 Upper Burtuk Won 1st/6 5,908 78.63 +60.73 refunded [20]
2014 Namthang-Rateypani Sikkim Krantikari Morcha Lost 2nd/4 4,643 43.38 -10.56 refunded [21]
2014 Upper Burtuk Won 1st/4 5,272 50.73 +5.59 refunded [21]
2019 (by-election) Poklok-Kamrang Won 1st/3 10,811 84.00 +69.56 refunded [14]
2024 Soreng–Chakung Won 1st/5 10,480 72.18 +50.94 refunded [22]
Rhenock Won 1st/7 10,094 64.54 +45.04 refunded [23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Prem Singh Tamang(SKM):Constituency- UPPER BURTUK(EAST) - Affidavit Information of Candidate". myneta.info. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "PS Golay takes oath as chief minister of Sikkim". Hindustan Times. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Prem Singh Tamang sworn in as Sikkim Chief Minister for second consecutive term". The Hindu. PTI. 10 June 2024. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang's wife tests positive for Covid-19". Mint. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  5. ^ "SKM ends Chamling's 25-year rule in Sikkim". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Sikkim Assembly Elections: SKM Ends Chamling's 25-Year Rule". The Wire. PTI. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  7. ^ Acharya, Prashant (14 July 2024). "Sikkim CM honoured with Gorkha Gaurav Samman". Sikkim Express. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  8. ^ "MLA disqualified from assembly: Corruption case: Convicted Sikkim MLA disqualified from assembly". The Times of India. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  9. ^ "SKM ends Chamling's 25-year rule in Sikkim". Business Standard. Press Trust of India. 24 May 2019.
  10. ^ Singh, Shiv Sahay (24 May 2019). "SKM all set to take power in Sikkim". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Prem Singh Tamang Sworn In As New Sikkim Chief Minister". NDTV. Press Trust of India. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  12. ^ Singh, Shiv Sahay (27 May 2019). "P. S. Golay sworn in as Sikkim Chief Minister". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  13. ^ "P. S. Golay sworn in as Sikkim chief minister". The Economic Times. Press Trust of India. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Sikkim Bypoll Results : CM Prem Singh Tamang Wins from Poklok Kamrang Seat, BJP Bags Two Seats". News18. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  15. ^ "In Sikkim, a Golay wave sweeps SKM to power". The Indian Express. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang wins from Poklok Kamrang seat, BJP bags two seats". The Economic Times. Press Trust of India. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  17. ^ "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1994 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SIKKIM". ECI. 1994. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  18. ^ "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1999 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SIKKIM". ECI. 1999. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  19. ^ "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 2004 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SIKKIM". ECI. 2004. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  20. ^ "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 2009 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SIKKIM". ECI. 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  21. ^ a b "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 2014 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SIKKIM". ECI. 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  22. ^ "Sikkim Assembly Elections: Big Faith in Tamang, Decimation for Chamling and Bhiachung". ETV Bharat News. 2 June 2024. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Sikkim CM P S Tamang wins Rhenock assembly seat". The Economic Times. PTI. 2 June 2024. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
State Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly
from Poklok-Kamrang (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
2019– 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Chief Minister of Sikkim
2019 - Present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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