Former BJP-Sikkim president formally inducted into SPCC

GANGTOK, 20 Mar: Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee formally welcomed former Bharatiya Janta Party state-unit president, Padam Bahadur Chettri, into the party today. He was welcomed by the SPCC president, Dr AD Subba, and other office bearers at the party head-office here at 5^th Mile.

Mr. Chettri along with members of the state committee and frontal organizations of BJP state-unit had joined Congress on 14 March in the presence of general secretary, Luizinho Falerio and secretary, Dr K Jayakumar of All India Congress Committee and SPCC president, Dr Subba and working president, Major T Gyatso in Delhi.

Speaking to media persons at the SPCC head-office today, Mr. Chettri said that he joined politics with the BJP party and even after spending his youthful years with it, was unable to work effectively for the people of Sikkim. In all these years with the BJP he could not understand the party’s leadership and hence failed to get full support from the people of Sikkim, he said.

He further stated that he filed many cases in court against the state government in public interest and alleged today that the BJP high command would always pressurize him to withdraw these cases.

Meanwhile, Dr. Subba said the joining of Mr. Chettri and his colleagues from his former party would help SPCC work more effectively in the election campaigning. It is also informed that unlike earlier announced, Mr. Chettri will be contesting elections from Rhenock constituency and Gyalpo Tamang from Arithang.