Chief Minister of Sikkim and Founder of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha.
NAME – Prem Singh Tamang also called as PS Golay
PROFESSION- Indian Politician & Social worker.
BORN – 5th February, 1968 (Age 53).
PLACE OF BIRTH –Soreng, West Sikkim.
FATHER’S NAME – Kalu Singh Tamang.
MOTHER’S NAME– Dhan Maya Tamang.
SPOUSE – Krishna Kumari Rai.
SIBLINGS – NA.
CHILDREN – Aditya Tamang.
EDUCATION – B.A. from Darjeeling Government College.
POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS/PARTY- Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM).
REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT- a. Maintained peace in the state, especially after the election which overthrew the ruling party of 25 years. b. Stopped the extension service in the government.
AWARDS – a. 4th JRD Tata Memorial Award in the Health & Family Welfare department. b. Best performing State in Tourism. c. Eight national awards in different categories from the rural development department.
BACKGROUND – PS Golay is the founder of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM). Prior to forming the party, he was a key member of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party. SKM is the largest opposition party in Sikkim.
Prem Singh Tamang is the 6th Chief Minister of Sikkim. Prior to politics, he was appointed as a graduate teacher under the HRD department in the government of Sikkim until 1993. Due to his active interest in social work and politics, he resigned from government service and started participating in the political activities of the SDF. During his affiliations with the SDF party, he served as State Youth Convener and Vice President.
UPBRINGING & EDUCATION – He was born into a Nepali family in West Sikkim. He graduated with a degree in Bachelors of Arts from the Darjeeling Government College in 1988. After graduation he worked as a teacher in a state-run school. His son, Aditya Tamang is also a politician who is a member of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly from Soreng-Chakung.
MAJOR INITIATIVES TAKEN- He declared Saturday as the care & cure day for the government.
He also one-time arrears to government employees & promoted the employees who were working in the same position for years.
He sanctioned Rs. 15 Lacs to all buildings under CMRHM scheme with one television and furniture’s, also the beneficiaries can choose the design from the three options given by the government.
CAREER TIMELINE/POSITION HELD-
a. 1993- He resigned from his government service and got fully involved in political activities of the SDF. Very soon, he became the Vice President of the youth wing.
b. 1994- He contested assembly election from Chakung and dethroned Tara Mani.
c. 1999- He again defeated Tika Gurung of SSP and continued as MLA from Chakung. From 1994 to 1999 he was the Minister for Animal Husbandry, Ecclesiastical and Industry department. From 1999 to 2004, he served as the Minister for Industries and Animal Husbandry.
d. 2004- Prem Singh defeated INC Candidate Satish Mohan Pradhan at Chakung Constituency. He became Minister for Building and Housing Department (2004-2009)
e. 2009- He contested from Upper Burtuk and won against Arun Kumar Rai of INC.
f. 2014- In Assembly elections, Prem Singh Tamang contested from two seats namely Upper Burtuk and Namthang-Rateypani. He also decided to form his own party. He founded SKM on 4th February 2014 in West Sikkim and officially resigned from SDF on 6th September 2014.
g. 2017- He became the main opposition leader of Sikkim, serving as a president of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha. During his release after the conviction on 10th August 2018, Sikkim witnessed a massive gathering which is counted as the highest ever gathering of any poliicial event in Sikkim.
h. 2019- He became the Chief Minister of Sikkim, winning 17 out of 32 seats in the legislative assembly which eventually ended the 25 year rule of the Sikkim Democratic Front.
CONTROVERSIES/CASES – On 13th January 2017, he was disqualified from the Sikkim Legislative Assembly after being convicted on 28th December 2016 for misappropriating government funds while with the SDF between 1994 and 1999.