Golay welcomes recognition of SKM by EC

SNS, Gangtok, 17 December 2013: Mr Prem Singh Tamang better known as Golay sounded happy with the Election Commission of India (ECI) having registered Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) as a political party.

He, the rebel Sikkim Democratic Front MLA, had joined the party as an ordinary member on 6 October after formally severing ties with the ruling party. However, the party was launched in February. Since its inception, it has remained in the van of anti-Pawan Chamling politics.

The party applied for registration two months after its inception.

“Today is a milestone and historic day for the Sikkimese people who formed the party with aspirations for good governance and future,”

Mr Prem Singh Tamang said in a media statement released yesterday after it was known that the party was registered.

Mr Golay further added in the same vein: “I congratulate all our party workers, supporters and well wishers who have been persistent towards this process with a call to struggle against casteism and corruption for a better tomorrow.”

He was camping in Delhi for the registration for the past few weeks.

Though the party is yet to get a symbol, its leadership is confident that it would make forays deep into the ruling party during a few months before the election process starts.

“However, it is doubtful whether the Opposition party would dent into the ruling party’s groundswell of rural support,” an observer said.

“It has indeed turned into a force to reckon with in the urban areas, riding the crest of anti-incumbency,” the observer further added.

“But as the last year’s rural election has shown the ruling party’s rural citadel has remained unscathed despite some of Golay’s followers having contested as Independent candidates,” the observer also said.