Massive rally to protest “dual citizenship” allegation against Chief Minister

Protesting the allegation of dual citizenship of the Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling floated by the state unit of Bharatiya Janta Party, the South District working committee of ruling Sikkim Democratic Front on Friday held a mass rally at Namchi. More than 2000 party workers from all the eight constituencies of South District participated in the rally which was led by South District in-charge cum party Vice President and MLA Melli constituency, GC Rai and President SDF South District, Gagan Rai. HRDD Minister GM Gurung, MLA Rakdong Tintek constituency Norzang Lepcha, Zilla Adakshya Rabichandra Gurung, Upadhyaksha Himal Tamang and other office bearers of the south district working committee were among the participants. MORE...

Congress hopes to ride anti-incumbency wave in Sikkim poll

Expecting to ride the 'anti-incumbency' factor against the Pawan Chamling regime, the Congress on Friday promised a clean, transparent and accountable government if elected to power in Sikkim. Alleging the Sikkim Democratic Front government led by Chamling indulged in large scale corruption and 'anti-national' activities, AICC secretary and in-charge of the party affair in Sikkim Sanjay Bafna told reporters security of the country was put in danger due to activities like printing and circulation of fake currencies in the state over the years and if elected to power his party will book all culprits under the provisions of law. MORE...

SDF emerges as winner in rural polls

Gangtok : The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has won the Sikkim panchayat polls, though the elections are scheduled on October 26.

The poll scenario after the withdrawal of candidates on October 5 shows a clear 66 per cent of the seats going uncontested in favour of the ruling party.

Of the 889 panchayat seats, the SDF has won 595 without a contest. This was declared yesterday by the state election commission. Elections will now be held for the remaining 294 seats.

The SDF has won West Sikkim with as many as 246 of the total 283 seats going uncontested. In South district, 106 of the 257 seats will see a contest. In the East district, SDF has won 121 of the 243 seats uncontested. Up north, the ruling front bagged 77 of the 106 seats without a fight.

Similarly, in the zilla panchayat polls 49 per cent of the seats in the state have been claimed by the SDF without a contest. The ruling front has garnered 45 zilla panchayat seats out of the total 93. The remaining 47 will also go to polls on October 26.

West district displayed its loyalty to the ruling party with no opposing candidates in 17 of the 25 zilla panchayat seats. In South Sikkim the SDF has already won 10 of the 23 zilla panchayat seats uncontested. The East district will have elections to 17 zilla panchayat seats, while nine have been won by the SDF without contest. In the North district SDF has won half of the 18 seats. Elections for one seat from Navey-Sothak in East Sikkim will be rescheduled since all candidates have withdrawn their nominations on Friday.

The rural polls this year have seen a large number of independent candidates, who are the primary rivals of the ruling party. The Opposition in the state have mostly drawn a blank with the state Congress, CPM and the Sikkim Gorkha Prajatantrik Party putting up candidates in only a few seats.

Source: The Telegraph

Sikkim Opposition gives deadline to Governor

GANGTOK: In a united move, the five Opposition parties of Sikkim have given a 72-hour deadline to Governor Mr V Rama Rao to take action against chief minister Mr Pawan Kumar Chamling in three major charges against the latter.

A joint memorandum signed by the leaders of five Opposition parties, including Congress, BJP and CPI-M, was submitted to the Raj Bhavan secretary today.

“Since the Governor was out of station, we submitted the memorandum to the Raj Bhavan secretary and requested him to immediately fax it to the Governor as the deadline is of 72 hours,” Mr HR Pradhan, president of Sikkim BJP unit, said.

The Governor has been requested to take action on 101 allegations and 36 scams contained in the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) booklet ~ Burma loot in Sikkim ~ against the chief minister.
The state government has only filed one defamation case on behalf of the Governor against the editor and publisher of the booklet, the Opposition leaders, said.

The united Opposition has also sought action on the questionable Nepal nationality of the chief minister and others as was pointed out by the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) chief Mr Nar Bahadur Bhandari to the Governor earlier.

The Governor has also been requested to take action on the petition submitted by the leaders of the Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad, a regional party, on the possible arms and ammunition import in the state by the ruling party.
The Governor has been requested to order a CBI probe into all the three above allegations within 72 hours.
“If the same is not done, the Governor should resign own on moral grounds,” the Opposition leaders, said.
Mr Pradhan alleged that they received a “zero” response from the Governor as far as their earlier memorandums of similar nature was concerned.

In case of no action, the Opposition parties have decided to write to the Prime Minister and their respective party high commands seeking removal of the Sikkim Governor.

Source: The Statesman