Opp takes a dig at Chamling’s announcements

SNS, GANGTOK, 12 MARCH 2013: Dubbing the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling’s recent announcements ~ laptops for students and a job to every BPL family- as ‘false’, the Opposition Sikkim Krantikari Morcha known as Golay’s party said he has been duping the people this way since his party came to power in 1994.  Mr Chamling made the announcement while addressing a gathering on the occasion of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front’s foundation day on 4 March.

The SKM leaders said that such promises are mere tools to help the ruling party to get another mandate in next year’s Assembly election. They assembled at Rangpo, East Sikkim yesterday on the occasion of inauguration of a party office there. They also addressed a public meeting.  Golay attended, but did not address the gathering. The party’s working president, Bharati Sharma inaugurated the party office.  People in their hundreds gathered to have a glimpse of Golay who is proving to be the rallying point against Mr Chamling with the election drawing near.

“He is a tyrant bent on perpetuating his dictatorship by any means. He would meet the same end that befell dictators like Saddam Hussain and Hosni Mubarak,” Mrs Sharma said.  

Spelling out her party’s stance, she said they are for bringing out change in the state.   ”Mr Chamling thinks he is indispensable for the state. But this is an illusion. We stand for ‘Parivartan’, change being the life-breath of democracy. We are for restructuring the state on the principle of democratic socialism, for equality of all,” she said.

Commenting on the recent closure of Lanco hydro power project, SKM labour front chief convenor, Padam Sharma said Mr Chamling was one of the players involved in the closure. “He cannot shirk his role for reducing the workers to penury. The laws existing in the state are anti-working class,” he said. He also demanded extension of the Trade Union Act to Sikkim so that workers could raise their voice through appropriate forum and seek justice from the Labour court. The SKM vice president, Bhoj Raj Rai and former bureaucrat and Rajya Sabha MP, P.T. Gyamtso and students’ wing convenor, Karma Tashi Bhutia also addressed the meeting.  Around 200 supporters from other parties joined the SKM during the gathering.