Sikkim `battle' over CM choice

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, 7 Jun 2019, Gangtok: The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha on Thursday sounded the bugle for a fight with the Sikkim Democratic Front over the legality of the appointment of SKM president P.S. Golay as chief minister and SDF leader Pawan Chamling's alleged involvement in corruption.

Addressing the party's first media conference after coming to power last month, Jacob Khaling, SKM spokesperson and political adviser to the chief minister, said it would be an interesting "battle" that would be played out in front of the people of Sikkim.

"On one hand, Pawan Chamling is trying to remove P.S. Golay from the post of chief minister. We, on the other hand, are out to unearth corruption in which Pawan Chamling was involved and punish him…. This will be very interesting and the people of Sikkim will be a witness to it," Khaling said.

The SDF, which lost the Assembly elections to the SKM by a whisker, has vehemently opposed the appointment of Golay as chief minister, citing the provisions of law that bars a person convicted of corruption from contesting any election for six years from the date of his release.

The SDF, which was in power for 25 years under Chamling's leadership, has vowed to boycott the Assembly till Golay remains in office The SKM, however, contended that Golay became chief minister after following the due process of law and to oppose his appointment was to disrespect the Constitution.

"Opposing a person who was elected by the people and accepted by the governor amounts to going against the democratic system. This is a mockery of our Constitution," Khaling said Avinash Rai, an SDF spokesperson, iterated that Golay had been appointed as chief minister illegally.