Eight Rateypani residents resign from the SDF party

GANGTOK, 01 Dec: A group of 8 people claiming to be SDF party supporters from Rateypani under Namthang Constituency have resigned from the party, alleging the present government of ‘undemocratic practice’.  

The letter, addressed to the party president, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, and circulated among the media by expelled SDF member Jacob Khaling, records that party’s dissident MLA, PS Golay, had toured Danak, Turung, Kritipur and Mamring under Namthang constituency visiting villagers there with due permission from the signatories of the resignation letter. The letter records that the villagers, while expressing their grievances, appealed to Mr. Golay to take a political stand for the welfare of the people.
However, when the MLA left the village, 10-15 strong group of SDF supporters took out a rally against him in Danak, the letter contends. Dismissing the incident as an “act of cowardice”, the group has demanded to know if the public do not have the right to meet their leaders.
The letter states that with such an act, SDF has “jeopardized its image” and that the people have begun to lose faith in the party, further accusing the party of indulging in violence to create a sense of fear amongst the people.
The group, alleging that the party has “wiped out democracy, constitution, law and public rights”, has condemned what the letter contends as “autocracy of the party”.