Tamang hints at exit from SKM chief post

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, 05 Feb 2020, Rangpo (East Sikkim): Sikkim chief minister P.S. Tamang (Golay) on Tuesday hinted that he would quit as president of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha as part of his party's oneman-one-post policy.

Addressing a mammoth gathering at the eighth Foundation Day celebration of the SKM here, Golay said elections to the party's various committees would be held soon and those leaders holding positions in both the government and the organisation would have to give up either of the posts.

"Till the elections are held, I am the party president. Once the elections are over, there will be another president," the chief minister said.

Apart from Golay, senior leaders holding positions both in the party and the government include human resources development minister Kumga Nima Lepcha and urban and housing development minister Arun Upreti. While Lepcha is the acting president of the SKM, Upreti is the party's secretary general.

The SKM president said the party would be given primacy over the government in terms of framing policies. "All policies will be decided at the party before taking it to the government," he said.

In his three-hour-long speech, Golay spoke on a number of issues, including alleged corruption of the previous Sikkim Democratic Front government, policies of his administration and controversies surrounding some of the decisions of his government. He also announced a number of schemes.

The chief minister said the previous government had left a debt burden running into thousands of crores and vowed to punish those who had looted the state. "We will not spare those who have destroyed Sikkim," he said while listing a number of instances, particularly those in the power sector, where the previous government allegedly shortchanged the state by favouring private parties. On the controversy surrounding the appointment of none-Sikkim residents to government positions and the extension granted to some serving officials, the SKM president said those were done keeping in mind the interests of Sikkim.

Golay said his government would provide medical insurance to nearly 90,000 government employees and their dependents. "The medical coverage will be up to Rs 20 lakh for major ailments and Rs 10 lakh for minor ailments," he said. The government employees are entitled to medical reimbursement presently.

He also said jobs of all temporary employees who had completed eight years in service would be regularised. "The services of home guards who have completed eight years will also be regularised," he added..