SKM leaders to meet today for party reorganisation

GANGTOK, 04 Jan: Sikkim Krantikari Morcha party members will be meeting at the party HQ here at Tibet Road today, reportedly to reorganize the party and staff its various cells and posts. Interestingly, the party president, Upper Burtuk MLA PS Tamang [Golay] is unlikely to be in attendance.

New political outfit - Sikkim Swatantra Manch - launched

GANGTOK, 24 Dec: With a little more than a year to go till the next Assembly Elections scheduled for 2014, political activity has begun surging in the in the State and in the latest development, a new political outfit - Sikkim Swatrantra Manch [SSM] - was formally announced on 24 December. Addressing a press conference, the promoters of the new outfit informed that the party was formed on 09 December and its working committee with Khem Adhikari as president constituted the same day. The party has announced its decision to contest the next Assembly elections.
Apart from Mr. Adhikari, the SSM working committee has Chakrabir Rai, BB Chettri, Sundar Pradhan, Sangita Lepcha and Shiva Kumar Subba as vice-presidents, Mahendra Sharma as general secretary, Teknath Sharma as publicity secretary and SK Chandak as treasurer.
Addressing the press conference, the SSM president said that the party feels that the younger generation is lacking dedicated leadership in the State, a vacuum which the SSM intends to fill.
General secretary, Mr Sharma read out the 14 initial agendas of the party. He mentioned that the party will not launch any personal attacks on other politicians and instead focus on providing “good programmes” for the people.
The party, with admitted Left leanings, will not merge with any national party and not accept any member with a history of alcoholism or drug addiction, Mr Sharma announced further, adding that only members below 40 years of age will be included in the working committee.
Among the promised the party plans to approach the people with is a provision for Rs 15 lakh loan free of interest for 5 years, 5 acres of land to the landless, mission against gambling and corruption etc.
The general secretary added that the party will begin interacting with the public from the second week of January onwards.
On the Sikkim-Darjeeling merger issue, he stated that the party was against it as Sikkim has its own identity and Darjeeling should continue with its Gorkhaland demand. He further opined that the recently formed Democratic Alliance of Sikkim [DAS] comprises of people who have failed to achieve anything in the past.
Opposition parties in the state are only after personal attacks but do not have any programmes for the people, he further contended.
Responding to media queries, Mr Sharma accepted that corruption was increasing in the state but at the same time advocated against allowing CBI into the state in view of the protection of Sikkim’s old laws. He argued that if CBI were to become a genuinely autonomous body, then the party would welcome it to the state but at present the party feels that the CBI has not been doing a fair job.

Opp parties form Democratic Alliance of Sikkim

GANGTOK, 19 Dec: Democratic Alliance of Sikkim [DAS], an alliance of national and regional opposition political parties and non-political organizations in Sikkim, was formally announced on 17 December during a press conference.
DAS comprises of Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee [SPCC], Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad Party [SHRPP], Sikkim Liberation Front [SLF], CPIM and Sikkim Gorkha Prajantantrik Party [SGPP] along with some non-political organizations.
Former Lok Sabha MP and Concerned Society of Sikkim convener, Nakul Das Rai has been appointed as the convener of DAS, while the names of the executive members and agendas of the alliance will be announced soon.
DAS convener, Mr Rai stated that in view of the present situation in the state an alliance was the need-of-the-hour in order to stand united to restore democracy in the state.
“It was the demand of the people of the state that opposition parties come on one platform to fight against the present dictatorial government. Respecting this demand of the people this alliance has been formed to take up people’s issues”, said Mr Rai.
SGPP chief advisor, NB Khatiwara said that the alliance will contest the upcoming Assembly election in 2014 on seat sharing basis, however, he added that the priority of DAS is to focus on the issues of the state and reach out to the people.
“We have invited the dissident SDF MLA, PS Golay to join the alliance as well. During our recent meeting last week, he said that he will make a decision after the formation of his party in mid January next year”, said SPCC president, NB Bhandari.
Meanwhile, the BJP state-unit president, Padam Chettri informed that he is in talks with the senior leaders of the party on joining the alliance. “This matter will be discussed thoroughly with the central committee of the party but I extend full support to DAS at an individual level”, said Mr Chettri.

Shyari duo announce plans for new political party

GANGTOK, 19 Nov: A duo from Lower Shyari, Santosh Darjee and Kaushal Rai, today announced plans to launch a new political party in January next year. The two are part of a Gangtok-based NGO, Link Himalayas Foundation.
Addressing a press conference at the Press Club of Sikkim, they informed that they recently toured various parts of the state and ‘analyzed’ the social and political situation of these areas and also observed the recently concluded Panchayat Election in the state.
“At present, the paper work process is going on and the party will be launched in January next year with new and young faces”, said the duo. They added that fresh faces will lead the new political outfit and leaders from other political parties will not be allowed in.
However, they added that the party will allow support from outside. The duo further stated that since leaders keep shifting allegiance to different parties for their own personal interests, such acts will not be entertained by their party.
“Corruption has become part of the system in the state and the state also has huge debt at present. For this, all democratic leaders from the past to the present are responsible,” they said. They further stressed that the CBI has to come to Sikkim and added that the party will contest the 2014 general elections.

MP urges people to consider why political violence is manifesting only now in Sikkim

GANGTOK, 18 Oct: Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai, in a statement issued yesterday as the spokesperson of the Sikkim Democratic Front, invited people to consider why political violence was manifesting with such unprecedented fury in Sikkim only now even though there have been several opposition parties here all along. His obvious reference is to the 14 Oct incident at Namthang in South Sikkim when a clash between SDF and its dissident MLA PS Tamang supporters left many injured, vehicles damaged, shops vandalised and several supporters from both sides booked for rioting and under provisions of the Arms Act. They are all out on bail at present but the episode is being kept alive with continuing allegations, claims and counter allegations by both sides.
The SDF spokesperson highlights that Sikkim has never witnessed such violence during a politically charged atmosphere and stresses that the situation is especially worrisome because even panchayat elections are eliciting such violence from the new entrant to the political mix in the State.
Reiterating the party’s contention that the Namthang violence was instigated and unleashed by the “Golay camp”, Mr. Rai holds up the episode as a “watershed and a new normal for the political violence that was unleashed in an otherwise quiet town of Namthang”.
“The only thing that has changed is that a marginalised political actor has surfaced with his brand of politics which only he knows. That we call as politics of violence. That is his trademark and signature,” Mr. Rai offers by way explanation of why such political violence is visiting Sikkim only now even though three panchayat elections, all on party basis, have been held peacefully in the past.
Responding to statements issued by former SDF MLA [since expelled] Bhojraj Rai on the Namthang incident, his aggressive rhetoric and reference to having “broken the barricade”, the SDF spokesperson states that such comments were a tacit admission of the said leader’s supporters having resorted to “single-minded” violence at Namthang on Sunday.
The MP has also taken exception to mention of the party vice-president, former Minister GM Gurung, as an absconder. Mr. Gurung, it may be recalled, has been named as an accused by the Golay supporters in their FIR on the Namthang incident.
“He [Mr. GM Gurung], was himself a victim and we condemn the call for his arrest as also calling him an absconder. An absconder will not come to the Party office and give a press conference,” Mr. Rai points out in the press statement.
Comments attributed to SPCC president, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, in media reports which have him speculating that the SDF Government will be brought down by 2013, Mr. Rai reminds him of his previous predictions, dating as far back as 12 December 1994 when he announced that he would bring down the SDF government – first, in three months, then six, then a year, then five; “Now it is already 18 years”. “He ought to be sympathising with the victims rather than making another wild statement,” the statement concludes.

Golay convenes meeting at Makha, questions panchayat poll timing

GANGTOK, 24 Sept: Dissident SDF MLA, PS Tamang [Golay], addressed a public meeting at 10 Mile, Makha Bazaar, near Singtam today. The meeting, convened at LR Bhutia’s residence, saw Mr. Tamang contend that the youth who powered SDF in its initial years in 1992-93 have been ignored by the party and have not benefitted. The youthful years sacrificed by this section needs to be compensated by the party or else the party president, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, should quit his chair.

Politicking with allegations, counters, posters and pamphlets begins

GANGTOK, 11 July: Ever since the Budget Session of the Sikkim Assembly last month which featured the Assembly debut of dissident SDF MLA, PS Tamang [Golay], for this term and his lashing out against his own party’s government, there have been a string of events around the State which have, in a way, sustained the momentum which the ‘Golay Camp’ seeks to ride. In the past couple of days there have been incidences of postering against the government in Rangpo, pamphlets surfacing in Melli and tit-for-tat accusations made by and against two brothers who find themselves on either sides of the ‘fence’. 
Today there was a group of youth, purportedly of the Golay Camp, gathered at the Sadar police station in a show of what is timidly termed as ‘moral support’ towards a government employee who is suspected of being a ‘supporter’.
In an interesting case NK Sharma, a government employee posted at Mangan had a complaint registered against him by OP Bhandari, OSD Legal, in the Sadar police station. It is informed that Mr. Sharma was present during the Assembly session for Mr. Tamang’s sessions and this led to the question of a government employee engaging in politics or appearing to take sides. Following the complaint the accused was summoned to the thana this morning following which a group of youth also attended uninvited. There was also talk of meeting the SP, to complain against the alleged high handedness of the state administration.
Interestingly, it is informed that Mr. Sharma has also registered a complaint against OP Bhandari at the Pakyong police station. As per his complaint, Mr. Bhandari is alleged to have used threatening language against him. However he has not pressed his case further, it is informed.
In another incident in Melli, South Sikkim, Melli Sonam has filed a complaint with the police after pamphlets started appearing in the South district town in his name. The pamphlets, it is informed, particularly targeted Tseten Bhutia, Convener, SIBLAC. Initially there were rumours that the police refused to register the diary but the SP South informed that the diary has been recorded; in fact it was recorded on 09 July against unknown persons. Melli Sonam, it is informed, had approached the police to clarify that he was not behind the pamphlets. The diary was recorded after the Melli police did their inquiries in order to ensure that the complaint was genuine.
The Rangpo police too was busy yesterday when anti-government posters propped up in Rangpo. The posters were put up along the Rangpo Mining Road and were soon brought down. Sources inform that the posters had anti-government and also anti-police content.
While there have not been out-and-out postering by the so called Golay Camp there are indications that they are not going to take things lying down either. After the vitriol targeted against the calls for resignation by Tilu Gurung and the meeting held at Chongay, East Sikkim where DT Lepcha made similar calls, the Golay camp is reportedly following this up with its own closed meetings at the same locations.

Former MP calls for opposition parties to unite

GANGTOK, 21 Nov: Former SDF MP, Nakul Das Rai, has expressed that the time has come for all opposition parties to come together with public concern in mind to spread political awareness among the masses and “demolish the myth” that “only the SDF party has potential to form a government”, informs a press release.