Gangtok, Sikkim December 14: With State Assembly elections just a few months away possibly by the end of April-May next year, opposition political parties here are already trying to woo each other to challenge the formidable ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party.

State units of CPIM and BJP are already riding along Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) in several burning issues including the controversial Limboo Tamang seat reservation issue.

The two national parties and SHRP are jointly organizing public meetings in different parts of the State on the Limboo Tamang seat and collecting signatures on post cards that will be posted to the Prime Minister appealing him to solve the issue for the coming Assembly elections.

“Without a strong alliance, we cannot give a strong challenge to the SDF party”, said SHRP general secretary Tara Shrestha during a press meet today here. Though SHRP party has its own support base, the corrupt SDF government can be ousted only with a successful alliance, he said.

We are also interacting with Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) for poll alliance, said the SHRP general secretary. He said the poll alliance will be finalized by the first week of January, 2009.
The SHRP general secretary reiterated his earlier claims that the ruling party is on the verge of a split due to inter party tussles and egos. What we saw during the December 12 meeting of the SDF party is a clear indication towards this direction, he said. With senior minister DD Bhutia himself stating that there is no discipline in the party, it means that the ministers and MLAs themselves are not secure, he said. How the people of Sikkim can remain secure in this party, he said.

Coming days will see the inter party tussles in SDF party assuming gigantic proportions, Mr. Shrestha said.

The SHRP general secretary further slammed Sikkim Nationalist Peoples Party (SNPP) president Biraj Adikhari for unnecessarily putting up hurdles in the Limboo Tamang issue. Biraj Adikhari is making unnecessary statements to cover up the Limboo Tamang issue and his party is moving ahead in anti-Limboo Tamang direction, he said.

Mr. Shrestha wondered what happened to SNPP’s earlier agenda of an Associate State status demand. There in no political stability in SNPP, he said.

Meanwhile, SHRP is holding a public meeting in Dentam, West Sikkim tomorrow where the party leaders will be speaking on several burning issues of the State especially the Limboo Tamang seat issue.

Despite having being declared as STs, seats for the two communities have not been allocated in the 32 seat-Sikkim State Assembly by the Delimitation Commission in its September, 2007 report for Sikkim.

Blaming the ruling SDF party squarely for this denial of political rights to the two communities, SHRP is currently mobilizing support from the people of Sikkim.

“We have also received indirect support from the associations of these two communities and they will be coming with us in future”, said the SHRP general secretary. He said that the party is receiving undeclared support from Sikkim Limboo Tamang Tribal Forum and Sikkim Limboo Youth Association.
If any all party meeting is to be done on the Limboo Tamang and Income Tax issue, then it must a tripartite meeting between the Center, SDF and the opposition parties, he said.

Source: Sikkim Times

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