The SEM, floated by former power secretary Laxmi Prasad Tewari last August, failed to live up to its expectation of becoming the ``third force'' in state politics after the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) led by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and main Opposition Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP) of former chief minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari.

Addressing a joint news conference yesterday, Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) president and Rajya Sabha member Karma Topden said 300 active SEM members joined the Congress. ``We are happy to welcome them with open arms and now look forward to strengthen the Congress in Sikkim. The target will be to form the next government here,'' Topden said.

While Tewari declined to admit whether he was being made the ``working president,'' as a pre-condition to the merger, Topden said, the modalities are being worked out by the SPCC. ``We are awaitingclearance from the high command. But the AICC has in principle agreed to accord the post of working president to Tewari and the post of one of the vice-presidents to former SPCC vice-president Thocthuk Lachungpa.''

The SPCC president said the Congress would make a serious bid to topple the SDF government. As of today the party is ready to face a snap poll. He also claimed that Sikkim Jana Shakti publicity secretary B K Rai and Sikkim Rastriya Mukti Morcha president R Moktan also joined the Congress yesterday.