Golay convenes meeting at Makha, questions panchayat poll timing

GANGTOK, 24 Sept: Dissident SDF MLA, PS Tamang [Golay], addressed a public meeting at 10 Mile, Makha Bazaar, near Singtam today. The meeting, convened at LR Bhutia’s residence, saw Mr. Tamang contend that the youth who powered SDF in its initial years in 1992-93 have been ignored by the party and have not benefitted. The youthful years sacrificed by this section needs to be compensated by the party or else the party president, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, should quit his chair.

Turning his attention to the panchayat elections, he alleged that calling the elections at this stage was a ‘conspiracy’ not to clear the pending bills of local contractors and cooperative societies. He contended that with the imposition of Model Code of Conduct [which came into force today], no financial transaction of the State Government can proceed and all such files are kept pending.
He reiterated that all pending bills of local contractors and cooperative societies be cleared before Dasain. If this does not happen, then the bills and dues of ‘big’ and ‘favoured’ contractors should also not be cleared. If the favoured continue to benefit, it will be obvious that the Chief Minister is no longer about the people. The panchayat elections, it may be recalled, have been called for 03 Nov.
He further alleged that all work orders being issued of late are being done without adequate funds because the government, in desperation to win the youth, was placating them with contracts even as the works had no matching funds in govt accounts.
He also accused the ruling party of trying to block his supporters from attending his meetings.