Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday criticised the opposition SDF for not fielding even one female candidate in the state's 32 assembly seats and the lone Lok Sabha constituency in which elections will take place together. Addressing an election rally here, he claimed the SDF did not consider the "mothers and daughters of the state" worthy of representation in the assembly. "What kind of message is the SDF sending out to the women by not nominating even one of them for the assembly polls and the Lok Sabha elections?" he asked. Tamang said his party, SKM, has nominated four women for the state assembly polls and also accommodated other sections of society in the candidates' list.
"We have given fair representation to all communities," he said.The SDF had nominated Sangita Tiwari in the Rhenock assembly constituency but replaced her with ex-minister Somnath Poudyal after Tamang filed nomination from the seat. A few days later, Tiwari switched from the SDF to the SKM. In the 2019 elections, two female candidates -- Farwanti Tamang and Rajkumari Thapa -- won on SDF tickets, but both of them later joined the BJP. Only 12 women candidates out of a total of 146 nominees are in the fray for the assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections in the state.Polling will be held for the 32-member assembly and the lone Lok Sabha seat on April 19.