The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) has re-nominated 21 sitting councillors from the 2021 Urban Local Body (ULB) elections, accounting for roughly one-third of its 63 candidates, signalling a calibrated reliance on incumbency as the state returns to a party-based electoral system.
The incumbency bloc is led by Nell Bahadur Chettri, the sitting Mayor of the Gangtok Municipal Corporation, contesting from Upper Burtuk, and Deputy Mayor Tshering Palden Bhutia from Development Area.
Other re-nominated councillors include Aruna Chettri (Upper Sichey), Chungkela Lepcha (Chandmari), Karma Tempo Rapgyal Bhutia (Arithang-I), Sundeep Malu (Upper M.G. Marg), Norbu Tamang (Pani House) and Milan Gautam (Daragaon-Lumsey).
Across urban bodies, the pattern of retention varies sharply, with Singtam and Rangpo Nagar Panchayats recording 100 per cent retention of incumbents, while the Gangtok Municipal Corporation shows a moderate retention of around 38 per cent and Namchi Municipal Council drops to below 30 per cent, indicating selective restructuring in key urban centres.
In Singtam Nagar Panchayat, where all incumbents have been retained, the candidates are Yad Kumari Kami (SC-W, Pipal Dara), Mukesh Kumar Agarwal (UR, Daragaon), Bindhya Subba (UR-W, Mandir Line), Kishore Kumar Chettri (OBC-S, Lall Bazar) and Suresh Kumar Tamang (ST, Chisopani).
Similarly, in Rangpo Nagar Panchayat, which also reflects full continuity from 2021, the candidates are Sanju Manger (OBC-C-W, Majhitar), Radha Pradhan (OBC-S-W, Mining), Sanjeev Kumar Khati (SC, Mandi Bazar), Pinku Kumar Prasad (UR, Rangpo Upper Bazar) and Larishna Tamang (ST-W, Chanatar).
The 2026 elections also formalise the political shift initiated during the 2021 ULB polls, which were conducted on a non-party basis.
A majority of those independent winners later aligned with the SKM, and their re-nomination reflects their absorption into a party-based framework.
A closer look at the reservation composition shows that out of the 63 candidates, 27 belong to the Bhutia-Lepcha Scheduled Tribe category, accounting for about 42.9 per cent of the total, while OBC-S candidates make up 14 seats or roughly 22.2 per cent and OBC-C candidates account for 8 seats or 12.7 per cent.
Scheduled Castes are represented in 6 seats, constituting around 9.5 per cent, while unreserved seats also stand at 8, or about 12.7 per cent.
Taken together, ST and OBC categories account for 49 out of 63 seats, or nearly 77.8 per cent, underscoring the dominance of these groups within the urban electoral framework, while women candidates at 32 out of 63, or about 50.8 per cent, indicate near parity across categories.
At the ward level, the Gangtok Municipal Corporation reflects this broader pattern, with ST candidates occupying 9 out of 21 wards, or about 42.9 per cent, while OBC categories together account for 6 wards, or 28.6 per cent.
In contrast, smaller Nagar Panchayats such as Mangan and Soreng show a higher concentration of ST representation at 3 out of 5 seats each, or 60 per cent, while bodies like Namchi and Gyalshing display a more mixed distribution across categories.
In Namchi Municipal Council, candidates are Saraswati Sharma (UR-W, Gangyap), Anu Chettri (OBC-S-W, Dambudara), Pem Norbu Bhutia (ST, Upper Ghurpisey), Mamta Kalikotey (SC-W, Lower Ghurpisey), Lucky Tamang (ST-W, Upper Boomtar), Ganesh Rai (OBC-C, Upper Singithang) and Manoj Kumar Manger (OBC-C, Purano Namchi).
In Pakyong Nagar Panchayat, candidates are Inchung Bhutia (ST, Kartok), Rozi Gurung (OBC-C-W, Dugalakha), Bhim Maya Chettri (OBC-S-W, Basnet Gaon), Rakesh Basneth (UR, Pakyong Bazar) and Sancha Maya Tamang (ST-W, Dikiling-Chalamthang).
In Soreng Nagar Panchayat, candidates are Santi Kala Limbu (ST-W, Singling), Ashok Pradhan (UR, Dara Bazar), Dina Hangma Subba (ST-W, Soreng Bazar), Dil Prasad Jogi (OBC-C, Pragati Chowk) and Bharati Tamang (ST-W, Daragaon).
In Naya Bazar–Jorethang Nagar Panchayat, candidates are Sunil Kumar Gupta (UR, Shantinagar), Manjari Rai (OBC-C-W, Trikaleshwar), Uma Sunar (SC-W, Daragaon), Samten Moktan (ST, Majhigaon) and Randeep Chettri (OBC-S, Nayabazar).
In Gyalshing Nagar Panchayat, candidates are Rinzing Bhutia (ST, Kyongsa), Praveen Darjee (SC, Byadung), Laki Doma Bhutia (ST-W, Nayabazar Ward), Suman Mittal (UR-W, Central Gyalshing) and Khina Maya Tewari (OBC-S, New Gyalshing).
In Mangan Nagar Panchayat, candidates are Tshering Pintso Saring (UR, Upper Mangan Bazar), Phurkit Lepcha (ST, Pentok), Norbu Rinchen Lepcha (ST-W, Power Colony), Hungu Lachenpa (ST, Rinzing Namgyal Marg) and Tshering Doma Bhutia (UR-W, Lower Mangan Bazar).
With 21 incumbents retained and 42 new candidates introduced, alongside full continuity in Nagar Panchayats like Singtam and Rangpo, the SKM’s candidate selection reflects a consolidation of its urban political base while maintaining a strongly reservation-driven electoral structure, with nearly four-fifths of seats concentrated within ST and OBC categories.
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