As the Lok Sabha election 2019 approaches, national and regional political parties seek out for contesting seats and alliances; and this year, an emerging Party – Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP) headed by veteran Footballer Baichung Bhutia will contest for all 32 assembly seats from Sikkim.

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The announcement of HSP’s participation in all the 32 seats for Sikkim in upcoming general election was made by the iconic footballer-turned-politician himself during a press conference on Sunday. The party has coined “Hamro Sikkim, New Sikkim” as the slogan for this year’s political campaigns that will be kick-started soon. And as per Bhutia, their “sole agenda” to win the polls will be development, unlike the Pawan Kumar Chamling government that “pursues divisive politics on the basis of caste and religion” for poll campaigning.

Baichung Bhutia also said, “My commitment to stay in state politics is long-term, and I am also going to contest the forthcoming Sikkim Assembly polls and take any responsibility that my party entrusts on me”. And although this is a debut for HSP in general elections, politics is not a new area for Bhutia as he has previously contested in 2014 Lok Sabha election from Darjeeling and 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections from Siliguri.

It has been reported that Hamro Sikkim Party is on prospects of alliancing with other regional parties to take over the Chamling’s Sikkim Democratic Front or SDF. However, the party is most likely to stay clear of alliance with any national-level party coalition, ruling out the rumours of Bhutia having had talks with BJP for alliance.

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