Gangtok,Sep14: With the victory of Namchi-Singhithang Assembly seat by Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), the party on Monday retained all seats in the 32-member state legislature.
The bypoll win also fulfilled Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling's wish to maintain a stranglehold over the state politics by outwitting his rival Nar Bahadur Bhandari.
SDF equalled 20 year-old record of Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP) of then Chief Minister Bhandari.
SDF nominee Binod Kumar Rai's victory by a margin of 4340 votes from Namchi-Singhithang seat, voting for by-poll was held on September 10 and the results announced today.
The win has ensured that there would only be ruling party's MLAs in the eighth Sikkim Assembly.
Bhandari's call to the voters to let the Opposition candidate win from Namchi-Singhithang seat for the sake of democracy in Sikkim failed to cut favour as the four Opposition candidates put together polled 1174 votes, less than 20 percent of the total votes polled.
The by-poll for Namchi-Singhithang Assembly seat was necessitated by Chamling's decision to vacate the seat after his election from two seats in the Assembly polls held in April.
The Chief Minister had chosen to retain Poklok-Kamrang seat.
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