Bhaichung set to join SDF : ‘Not a single case of corruption against Chamling’

Bhutia said he would also merge the Hamro Sikkim Party, of which he is the working president, with the SDF after consultation with other leaders and members of HSP

PRAKASH ADHIKARI SUJAL PRADHAN, EOI, GANGTOK, SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 : Ending a week-long speculation, football icon and politician Bhaichung Bhutia announced formally on Wednesday that he was all set to join the Sikkim Democratic Front. 

Bhutia said he would also merge the Hamro Sikkim Party, of which he is the working president, with the SDF after consultation with other leaders and members of HSP. “There are still some leaders to meet. 

The merger of the two parties will not happen immediately. It will take time. That will happen after a thorough discussion. I have not yet fixed a date to join SDF or merge yet.” In the election of 2019, Bhaichung supported the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha; even had meetings with current Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang in the run up to the polls. 

“We were all in support of the promise of Parivartan made by Prem Singh Golay in 2019. We had tactically fielded candidates in constituencies where the SKM had weaker candidates. In these four years, however, the Parivartan has failed under Golay and the SKM.

They are now full of corrupt leaders and businessmen who in the past 25 years had ruined the ruling SDF.” Asked why he was still opting to join the SDF, Bhaichung said: “Following the exit of corrupt leaders, SDF has now cleansed itself of corruption. 

For long, SKM cried about Chamling being a corrupt leader. But it is evident in these four years that SKM has not been able to file a single case against Chamling on grounds of corruption, thus ensuring that Chamling is free of corruption. Besides, in these four years SDF is perhaps the only opposition party that has spoken for Sikkim. 

Their ‘Save Sikkim’ call is an evidence of the same. SDF is the perhaps the only party that has spoken against the Centre’s stand on the Finance Bill 2023 which had led to the dilution of Sikkimese identity and article 371F of the Constitution Bhaichung and SDF will be like Messi and Argentina to win the World Cup.” 

Defending his earlier criticisms of SDF and its leader Pawan Chamling, Bhaichung said: “At that juncture, criticizing SDF and Chamling was necessary. The SDF had been thoroughly corrupted. Sikkim needed a change and that happened. But now we understand Chamling was not entirely wrong. 

Yes, he had criticized me in the past for contesting from West Bengal, but so did Golay leader. He had criticized me as a footballer, but that was his ignorance then.