30% women on SDF list

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, Siliguri:Gangtok: Sikkim chief minister and president of the Sikkim Democratic Front Pawan Chamling on Wednesday said his party would try and give equal representation to the old and new generations and field women in 30 per cent of 32 seats in the coming Assembly elections.

Pawan Chamling Talking to reporters at his official residence, Mintokgang, Chamling expressed confidence of returning to power for the sixth consecutive time. "Will give 50 per cent to the youths. That will be the endeavour, but let's see how much we can eventually give," he said. There are 4, 23,325 voters in Sikkim, and according to the Election Commission of India, maximum number of them fall in the 18-45 age bracket. The number of women voters is 2, 07,103 as against 2, 16,222 male voters.

"We will give 30 per cent (seats) to women. It will be very difficult even though I want because when we go to the public, they say give us male (candidates). However, we will try to give 30 per cent (tickets to women)," the chief minister said.

Chamling, who holds the record of being the longest serving chief minister of the country, said he would contest from his native Namchi constituency for the eight consecutive time. "I have contested (from Namchi) for so many years. Why should I change? It will be the eight time I will be the MLA from the same place," he asserted.

The SDF president also said he would want his rival P. S. Golay, the president of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, to contest the election. "I want Golay bhai (younger brother) to contest. Whether or not he will be allowed to contest will be known during scrutiny (of nomination papers)," he said.

Chamling had first won from Namchi in 1985 on his former party Sikkim Sangram Parishad ticket