Former Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling called on Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna on Tuesday.

Chamling, who heads the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), served as the chief minister for 25 years in the Himalayan state on the India-China border.

“It was a political and courtesy meeting during which Shri Pawan Chamling graciously extended an invitation to visit Sikkim, emphasizing the potential for collaboration and working together on shared goals (sic),” Mamata wrote in a Facebook post
that was appended with a short video.

In 2019, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha headed by P.S. Tamang (Golay), a former colleague of Chamling in the SDF, came to power. Since then, the SDF has witnessed acute erosion in its support base with workers and leaders deserting the party.

“Tamang, the sitting chief minister, is aligning with the BJP. It seems Chamling wants to improve political relations with Mamata Banerjee who is a prominent face in the anti-BJP bloc,” said a political veteran in Sikkim.

Golay's SKM is aligned with the BJP although the two parties contested separately in the Assembly elections last year.