Both Cong, SDF eye victory in Sikkim Assembly

SDF chief Pawan Chamling and Nar Bahadur Bhandari represent the two major power blocs in the bi-polar politics of the state.

With less than 24 hours left for counting to begin in Sikkim for 91 Assembly and four Lok Sabha seats, the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) and the main Opposition Congress were busy making claims and counterclaims as to the outcome of the polls.

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While the SDF, in power for the last two consecutive terms, was confident of pulling off a hat-trick claiming victory in a minimum of 26 seats if not a clean sweep, the Congress, marginalised in the politics of the state since 1999, also claimed it is well on way to making a comeback under the leadership of former chief minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari.

Chief Minister and SDF chief Pawan Chamling and Bhandari represent the two major power blocs in the largely bi-polar politics of the state which has witnessed a straight fight between them in most of the seats.

''It will hardly be a sursprise if the SDF makes a clean sweep but the party bagging a minimum of 26 out of 32 Assembly seats is definitely a foregone conclusion,'' Chamling said.

Congress, on the other hand, banking heavily on the charisma of Bhandari who ruled the state for about 14 years, was sure of winning at least 25 seats besides the lone Lok Sabha constituency of the state.