Golay joins SKM, finally TO REMAIN AND WORK FOR PARTY AS ORDINARY MEMBER

VISHNU NEOPANEY
GANGTOK, 06 Oct: The induction which had been in the making since ever since the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha was formed in February earlier this year, finally came about today with former SDF MLA PS Tamang joining the party at a grand function organized here at Paljor Stadium. Mr. Tamang, who had resigned from the Sikkim Democratic Front on 04 September, took primary membership of the SKM today and was received enthusiastically by party supporters and office bearers who had turned up in huge numbers at the stadium today. Interestingly, Mr. Tamang did not take over the presidentship of the party, announcing that he would remain a primary member in keeping with the party’s one man-one post principle. This was a clear indication, if one was even required, that he was the party’s chief ministerial candidate.
Apart from welcoming Mr. Golay into the party, SKM also inducted several crossovers from the ruling SDF into the party today. The day also featured the first public address by Mr. Tamang from an SKM dais. Apart from launching into a passionate tirade against his former leader, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, Mr. Tamang also outlined issues that the SKM will take up as its launches into campaign mode for election about seven months away.
Mr. Tamang insisted that SKM was a party based on clear policies and programmes and would go on polls on the HEEEER platform - health, education, economy, employment, environment and reforms [HEEEER]. These will the party’s top priority engagements, Mr. Tamang stated, adding that under the SDF Government of past 20 years, Sikkim has become a debt-ridden, corrupt state.
Prosperity, he said pointing out to nearby highrises, was limited to those in power and those close to power.
His allegations against his former leader ranged from contentions of dictatorial functioning to communal and divisive politics and corruption. SKM, in contrast, he said was the people’s party where members will have to work for the people and should not expect personal profit, he said.
Mr. Tamang’s joining the party, it may be recalled, was projected as “Parivartan Diwas” and Mr. Tamang today called for “parivartan” [change] in elections 2014. He also returned to the themes covered by him in his outburst in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly earlier this year and delving of slights imposed on him and other founder members of the SDF.
Towards the close his address, Mr. Tamang also stumped his supporters by announcing that he would work for the party as an ordinary member, stating that SKM will strictly enforce the “one-man, one-post” principle.