• Sujal Pradhan, NET Correspondent, Sikkim

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s presidential candidate – Draupadi Murmu had been touring states to garner support for the July 18 elections. On Monday, Murmu held a closed-door meeting with the Sikkim legislators in a resort near Siliguri.

Sikkim’s legislators were led by Chief Minister – Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) and BJP legislators also attended the meeting except opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) legislator & former CM – Pawan Chamling, even though he was also invited on behalf of the government.

The SDF Rajya Sabha MP – Hissey Lachungpa attended the meeting, and later shared that “due to lack of time and connectivity issue a meeting was called in Siliguri and I was also invited. We will forward conditional support to the Presidential candidate and Vice President candidate too.”

Before the meeting, NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu was accorded with a warm welcome event organized by the Sikkim Government. CM along with all MLAs and BJP MLAs will also attend a special meeting.

This meeting was earlier scheduled for July 9 to meet SKM and BJP lawmakers in the state and it was postponed in the wake of the one-day national mourning, as a mark of respect to former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang along with MLAs of the SKM and BJP had called on Murmu in the national capital a week ago and pledged their support to her in the presidential election.

The NDA has 31 members in the 32-member Sikkim Legislative Assembly comprising 19 of the ruling SKM and 12 of the BJP which supports the Tamang government from outside.

The lone Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) MLA and former Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling have also committed to supporting Murmu’s candidature in the presidential elections.

Press Secretary to CM Bikash Basnett informed that “Draupadi Murmu has assured that she will visit Sikkim after the election, and spoke about Mount Khangchendzonga and rich culture of Sikkim.”

“This is the first time any presidential candidate has visited specifically for Sikkim,” – he further added.

Addressing the mediapersons, the Sikkim CM noted that “this time we have not talked about the political demands of Sikkim but we will surely place our demands, after she becomes President and visits Sikkim.”

“This is the first time any Presidential candidate has visited specifically for campaigning for Sikkim and interacted with the legislators,” – he added.