Gangtok: Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) chairman Gopal Chettri on Thursday “advised” Chief Minister P.S. Golay to “remain alert” from alliance partner BJP instead of accusing former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling of trying to topple the SKM government.
“Recently, Golay was blaming the former Chief Minister of trying to buy his MLAs and ministers. Instead of blaming the opposition, we advise him to stay alert from the BJP. We feel that the Chief Minister is in an uncomfortable position. We extend our good wishes to the SKM government and want it to complete five years, and fulfill the promises made to the people instead of the BJP taking over the state government,” said the SPCC chairman at a press meet at the party office on Thursday.
Chettri also contended that the former MLAs and heavyweight leaders of SDF are joining the ruling SKM due to threat of CBI probe and lure of appointments from the ruling front.
“Some of them have also been promised tickets in the coming election and some are assured appointments as chairmen of different boards. However, the SKM is ignoring and marginalizing their own supporters as seen in the recent Tumin-Lingee episode where the Chief Minister did not meet the local public, many of whom were staunch SKM workers,” said Chettri.
The Congress leader added that it is doubtful that the CBI would be coming to Sikkim as he believes that Chief Minister P.S. Golay is merely using the “CBI is coming” speech to frighten the opposition leaders in SDF.
“If CBI really comes then we will welcome it. But the question here is for whom is the CBI coming? SKM is the ruling party while almost all the SDF MLAs and other leaders have already switched to BJP or SKM. Would the CBI probe take place against these leaders of the former government? We feel that the CBI should do investigations against all political leaders and those bureaucrats who have benefited from corruption,” said the SPCC chairman.
On the recent re-naming of the Gangtok-Nathula route as Narendra Modi Marg, he said, “The road could have been named after illustrious personalities of Sikkim posthumously or martyrs who gave their lives for the nation like General Bipin Rawat. It could have been named after Dr. Sanjay Upreti who not only saved lives of hundreds of heart patients but also gave his life to save a health worker.”
Chettri pointed that the road renaming function of December 28 had the presence of Governor Ganga Prasad, State BJP president D.B. Chauhan and BJP MLA Y.T. Lepcha but no representative from the SKM government.
“It did not look like an official state function as nobody (MLAs/ministers) from the government was present. Why only the BJP president and MLA were present? Was the State government unaware of it? Or is there some differences between the SKM and BJP alliance partners?,” he questioned.
The SPCC chairman contended that when public places or institutions are named after someone, the proposal is placed, discussed and passed in the Assembly followed by a notification.
“It is learnt that the road naming proposal was passed by the concerned GPU gram sabha, though the road is a national highway constructed by the BRO. Can a road be named after someone on the mere passing of a proposal by the GPU gram sabha?” he asked.
“Did the road naming was done due to pressure of the BJP on the SKM government?,” questioned Chettri.
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