SKM defeat finger at Golay

TT, Gangtok, Oct. 14: A section of SKM leaders and workers has said party president P.S. Golay's disappearance from the state for around eight months last year was one of the reasons for the organisation's complete washout in the recent civic polls.

The SKM has failed to win any seat in the elections to the Gangtok municipality, two nagar panchayats and three municipal councils which voted on October 9. The ruling SDF won all the seats.

"With prominent leaders leaving the party before municipal elections, time has come for the SKM to introspect. We have to streamline the party in a better way. Had Golay not disappeared from the public post-Assembly elections last year, it would have been easy for the party to win some seats in the municipal elections. We shouldn't forget that the SKM won most of the Assembly seats in urban areas. Golay's absence for eight months is one of the main reasons for the SKM's drubbing in the civic polls," said an SKM leader who didn't want to be named.

"The party should now focus more on reaching out to the people and start preparing for the panchayat polls of 2017. There are other reasons also for losing the municipal elections. We did not have a proper manifesto and our campaign started late," he added.

Golay who was elected as an MLA from Upper Burtuk constituency in East Sikkim was away from the state for over eight months and didn't attend three Assembly sessions. Following criticism from party workers, Golay apologised for his disappearance and said he was camping in Delhi for party work and busy meeting national leaders.

Seven SKM MLAs met here yesterday to discuss the party's drubbing. "It was just a normal meeting to discuss the future activities of the party," said an MLA.

Golay yesterday issued a press statement, stating that the SKM accepted the verdict with utmost humility.