Sikkim joined the world’s largest democracy nearly four decades ago, but political engagement here is clearly yet to mature to a level where political thought and ideology become talking points among the lay citizens. The real aspirations of the young and the expectations of the masses are still addressed piecemeal and offered mostly short-term solutions; political debate remains limited to leader/ party-affiliated stands and does not engage at an ideological level. Politics in Sikkim, everyone will agree, is not influenced by political thought or theory, and is instead dictated by situational and personal exigencies. Poll performances and political relevance continue to be decided by personalities and not ideology. This is unfortunate because while individual brilliance is necessary for a politician, for politics to mature, the political space requires ideology-driven discussions and positions, not priorities dictated by personality cults. We, in Sikkim, are lagging behind in evolution of clear political concepts.
