<p class="title">Bringing down the curtains on Pawan Kumar Chamling's 24-year rule, Prem Singh Tamang, better known as P S Golay, emerged as the new satrap of Sikkim, when his party, the SKM, bagged 17 of the 32 assembly seats in the state in the just-concluded polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Once a founder member of the Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front, Golay had rebelled against the former chief minister and floated the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha in 2013, alleging corruption and misrule under his parent party.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Soon in 2014, SKM positioned itself as a formidable opposition, winning 10 assembly seats.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But it was perhaps the fear of rejection of his nomination by election authorities in the wake of his conviction in a corruption case that Golay decided to not contest the assembly polls this time.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Born to Nepali parents, Kalu Singh Tamang and Dhan Maya Tamang on February 5, 1968, Golay graduated from a college in Darjeeling and joined as a teacher in a state-run school.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He quit the government service three years later to take up social service before joining SDF.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The three-decade political journey of Golay has been eventful. He was elected to the Sikkim Assembly for five terms in a row since 1994 and served as a minister in the SDF government till 2009.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After Chamling denied him a ministerial berth during the fourth term of the SDF government (2009-14), Golay fell out with his mentor and floated his outfit. He resigned from all SDF party duties and assumed the responsibility as the SKM chief.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In 2016, Golay was convicted for misappropriating government funds between 1994 and 1999, and his membership in the assembly was terminated the year after.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 51-year-old earned the dubious distinction of becoming the only politician in the state who has been disqualified from the assembly following the conviction.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He challenged the verdict in the Sikkim High court, which upheld the order prompting Golay to surrender.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In 2018, when he stepped out of jail, Golay was received by thousands of supporters who took out a procession in a show of solidarity for their leader.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Notwithstanding the setback, Golay successfully led the SKM to power in Sikkim this year, vanquishing an astute politician like Chamling.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He carried out sustained campaigns across the state, ensuring that the SKM romps to victory in the assembly, albeit by a slender majority. </p>
<p class="title">Bringing down the curtains on Pawan Kumar Chamling's 24-year rule, Prem Singh Tamang, better known as P S Golay, emerged as the new satrap of Sikkim, when his party, the SKM, bagged 17 of the 32 assembly seats in the state in the just-concluded polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Once a founder member of the Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front, Golay had rebelled against the former chief minister and floated the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha in 2013, alleging corruption and misrule under his parent party.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Soon in 2014, SKM positioned itself as a formidable opposition, winning 10 assembly seats.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But it was perhaps the fear of rejection of his nomination by election authorities in the wake of his conviction in a corruption case that Golay decided to not contest the assembly polls this time.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Born to Nepali parents, Kalu Singh Tamang and Dhan Maya Tamang on February 5, 1968, Golay graduated from a college in Darjeeling and joined as a teacher in a state-run school.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He quit the government service three years later to take up social service before joining SDF.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The three-decade political journey of Golay has been eventful. He was elected to the Sikkim Assembly for five terms in a row since 1994 and served as a minister in the SDF government till 2009.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After Chamling denied him a ministerial berth during the fourth term of the SDF government (2009-14), Golay fell out with his mentor and floated his outfit. He resigned from all SDF party duties and assumed the responsibility as the SKM chief.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In 2016, Golay was convicted for misappropriating government funds between 1994 and 1999, and his membership in the assembly was terminated the year after.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 51-year-old earned the dubious distinction of becoming the only politician in the state who has been disqualified from the assembly following the conviction.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He challenged the verdict in the Sikkim High court, which upheld the order prompting Golay to surrender.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In 2018, when he stepped out of jail, Golay was received by thousands of supporters who took out a procession in a show of solidarity for their leader.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Notwithstanding the setback, Golay successfully led the SKM to power in Sikkim this year, vanquishing an astute politician like Chamling.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He carried out sustained campaigns across the state, ensuring that the SKM romps to victory in the assembly, albeit by a slender majority. </p>