P.S. Tamang: A CM better known by his nickname

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang’s political journey profiled by The Hindu

GUWAHATI

Local people refer to him as the ‘common man’s Chief Minister’ but chances are, they are more familiar with his nickname – Golay – than his official name. Golay is derived from Goley, a sub-clan of the Tamang community.

Since 1985, a decade after the Buddhist kingdom of Sikkim was merged with India, politics in the State has been individual-driven. Nar Bahadur Bhandari’s Sikkim Sangram Parishad gave way to Pawan Kumar Chamling’s Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which yielded to Prem Singh Tamang’s Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) in 2019.

Also Read:Sikkim Assembly elections 2024 | Key winners and losers

The spotlight fell on Mr. Tamang when SKM ended Mr. Chamling’s reign as the Chief Minister for almost 25 years from 1994 to 2019.

Mr. Tamang became a Minister in the Chamling-headed SDF government after winning his first election from the Soreng-Chakung constituency in West Sikkim in 1994. He continued as a Minister in the next two governments but fell out with Mr. Chamling after winning the 2009 Assembly election from the Burtuk seat.

He came to be known as a rebel after going public against Mr. Chamling and was sidelined before he and other SDF dissidents formed the SKM in 2013.