Regional parties look out for local interests best: Chamling

GANGTOK, 01 March: Sikkim Democratic Front party president, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, stressed that regional political parties were more sincere to local problems, issues and aspirations and more committed to the welfare of local residents than national parties. The Sikkimese understood this well, which is why they have only elected regional parties into government in Sikkim thus far.

Addressing a Central Working Committee meeting of the party yesterday at the SDF party headquarters, Mr. Chamling pointed out that national parties tend to prioritise the interests of larger states at the cost of local issues and concerns.
Speaking on the North East Democratic Front, a coming together of MPs from the NE Region across party lines, Mr Chamling mentioned that Sikkim would have an important role in the forum, which according to him, would be an important medium to take up local issues with the Centre more effectively.
Turning his attention towards parties in the Opposition in Sikkim, the SDF president highlighted that the Opposition brand of politics, already rejected unanimously by the people of Sikkim, was now reduced to protesting everything that the democratically elected government was striving to achieve for Sikkim. This attitude, he contended, reflected disrespect for the mandate and aspirations of the people.
Commenting on what he called the misinformation campaign of the Opposition leaders, Mr. Chamling directed the party office-bearers and workers to keep the people properly informed and themselves take all decisions with the interest of the people in priority.
Mr. Chamling also detailed the various achievements of the SDF government in the past 17 years and called on party workers to keep the people informed of these successes and of the party’s commitment to the interests and security of the people of the State.
He also pointed out that the government has been given priority to the hydel power projects, organic tourism and floriculture, thrust areas which he said would secure Sikkim’s economic prosperity for the next 100 years.
He also announced that to make Sikkim a slum-free State, a proposal to construct 8,000 houses by the year 2014 has already been passed and directed that locally available materials and resources be used in these constructions.
He also directed the party CWC members to remember the State Government’s commitment to ensure local interests in new industrial units being opened in the State and directed them to ensure that these units abided by the MoU undertaken with the State Government.
He also directed that livelihood schools be opened in the left-out constituencies.