Chamling releases SDF manifesto for panchayat elections

ALSO REISSUED- PARTY GREEN BOOK DETAILING SDF IDEOLOGY
GANGTOK, 10 Oct: Sikkim Democratic Front president, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, today released the SDF Manifesto for the 2012 Panchayat Elections. The manifesto was unveiled at a special function hosted at the SDF party headquarters attended by senior vice presidents of the party, advisors, the two spokespersons, general secretaries and other senior leaders and many party workers. In all probability, this will be the only manifesto for the upcoming panchayat elections given the fact that the only other party in the fray is the Congress which is fielding only 2 candidates and the rest are Independent candidates. A new batch is being elected to the 987 panchayat wards and 187 zilla panchayats in Sikkim.
The SDF party president also released the “Green Book” of the party detailing the SDF’s ideology today.
The 45-page manifesto, the Nepali edition of which was circulated today, includes a message from the SDF party president and a 100-point list of commitments and assurances.
A press communiqué received from SDF spokesperson, Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai, informs that Mr. Chamling, in his address to party workers, expressed joy on releasing the two books.
He urged party workers to read the manifesto carefully so that they could explain it to the people. He further asked the party to work hard and win all the seats in the forthcoming elections, the release adds.
Earlier, in his brief introductory address, party spokesperson Bhim Dahal reflected on the fact that this was the tenth Manifesto to be brought out by the party. “Much has changed in the contents since the first one. Our plans and programs have improved tremendously. But the things that have not changed are the tenets, the ideology and the pro poor stand of the party,” the release quotes Mr. Dahal as stating.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chamling dwelt at length on the women’s empowerment, remarking that Sikkim was unique in the world for having notified 50 percent reservation for women in any election. He appealed to the women to use the empowerment process in the best possible manner, stressing that it was not just about winning but about ensuring that there is further building of all kinds of capacities to administer properly so that the people get the facilities that the Government provides through the Panchayats, the release adds.
“Moreover, the elected Panchayats will have to understand how to run and administer local governments. This is a valuable opportunity that has been brought for the women of our State by our Government and Party,” he reiterated.
On the party Green Book, he stressed that it was the ideology which bound the party together. “It is not about friendship but about working together and becoming fellow travelers because we share the same principles and ideology,” he shared with the party workers today.
He also stressed that the party Green Book must be read to imbibe the ideology for better political education, a must for all cadres of the party, the release states.