Prem Singh Tamang Sworn in as Sikkim Chief Minister For Second Straight Term

Gangtok: Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) supremo Prem Singh Tamang was on Monday sworn-in as the chief minister of the Himalayan state for a second straight term.

Governor Lakshman Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Tamang and his Council of Ministers during the swearing-in ceremony at Paljor stadium.

The council of ministers in Sikkim has a strength of 12 members, including the chief minister.

The state government had on Sunday ordered the closure of all educational institutions in and around Gangtok today, as part of the security measures for the event.

A half-day holiday was also declared in all government offices for today.

"In view of the swearing-in ceremony of the Hon'ble Chief Minister Designate and the Council of Ministers Designate... the state government hereby declares, 10th June, 2024 (Monday) as half working day till 12 noon, for all government offices and PSUs located in and around Gangtok," news agency PTI had reported, quoting Chief Secretary VB Pathak as saying in a circular issued by the Home Department.

Elaborate security arrangements were put in place across Gangtok for the oath-taking programme.

PM Modi Congratulates Tamang, Wishes Him a Fruitful Tenure

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Tamang on taking oath as the CM and wished him a fruitful tenure.

PM Modi took to ‘X’ and said that he looked forward to working with Tamang for the state's progress.

"Congratulations to Shri @PSTamangGolay on taking oath as the chief minister of Sikkim. Wishing him a fruitful tenure and looking forward to working with him for Sikkim's progress," the prime minister said.

Tamang, 56, who spearheaded the SKM’s landslide victory in the assembly polls and the lone Lok Sabha seat in Sikkim, was unanimously elected the leader of the legislature party during a meeting on June 2.

The SKM won 31 of the 32 assembly seats in the polls, which took place simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections. Tamang won from both Rhenock and Soreng-Chakung constituencies that he contested.

The opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which ruled the state for 25 years in a row till 2019, managed to win only one seat. 

(With inputs from PTI)