Former Chief Minister of Sikkim who served as the third Chief Minister of Sikkim BB Gurung has passed away at the age of 93.
BB Gurung was born on 11 October 1929 at Chakhung village in West Sikkim. He matriculated from St. Roberts School in Darjeeling.
After his graduation from the University of Calcutta, he served as a teacher from 1953 to 1955. For a short period of time he also worked as a staff reporter for the Calcutta-based newspaper Amrita Bazar Patrika.
He also edited the first news-based Nepali Journal of Sikkim, called Kanchenjunga.
Gurung’s political career commenced with his membership of the Sikkim Rajya Congress, which had been formed in December 1947, and of which he was to become General Secretary in 1958. In 1967, Gurung was elected Executive Councillor by L.D. Kazi’s Sikkim Rashtriya Congress and remained in the party until 1971.
He was a very strong supporter of the democratic movement in Sikkim. After Sikkim merged with India in 1975, Gurung was elected in the 1st Vidhan Sabha in 1977 as a candidate of the Sikkim National Congress. Consequently, he was appointed speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly in 1977 and he remained speaker until 1979.
In May 1984, Nar Bahadur Bhandari’s government was dismissed by then-governor Homi J. H. Taleyarkhan. Shortly thereafter, Gurung was sworn in as the third Chief Minister of Sikkim.
However, due to lack of support and instability, Gurung’s government was dissolved and a presidential system implemented in the state.
2013–14 Gurung was a political advisor to the Chief Minister of Sikkim. In 2014 election he resigned and disassociated with Pawan Chamling and extended his support towards Sikkim Krantikari Morcha party.
In 2019 general elections through a press statement he appeals people of Sikkim to vote for Sikkim Krantikari Morcha which formed the government in Sikkim and in the oath taking ceremony of present Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and Cabinet Ministers he was also present at Palzor Stadium Gangtok. Currently he was not in active politics.
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