Sunday, Jan 22, 2023 08:45 [IST]
Last Update: Sunday, Jan 22, 2023 03:14 [IST]
Will create a new narrative with SDF’s comeback in 2024: Chamling
GANGTOK,: Former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has asserted that the Sikkimese electorate in 2024 Assembly election will not be persuaded by the political narrative of ‘no party returns to power once defeated’ in the State. He added that people also do not buy the narrative that he is too old to give leadership to Sikkim.
“The narratives are coming from our political opponents but people will not be persuaded by such narratives. The SDF will create a new narrative in 2024 of an ousted party returning to power. We will give a reply to their narrative by winning the 2024 Assembly election and create a new history of a defeated party coming back to power,” said Chamling.
The SDF president was replying to media questions during his public outreach campaign at Temi-Namphing constituency, South Sikkim on Friday.
Regarding the narrative of his best years behind him, Chamling, 72 years, said his age is being targeted in a negative manner as the ruling SKM and his political opponents have nothing else to attack him.
“They are talking about age in politics. SKM and other parties do not have better programmes or vision than the SDF. They do not have the capability, programmes or intentions to do better than Chamling. As they have nothing to show, they are talking about my age and propagating that ‘harey ko party farkera auwdaina’. People laugh at such narratives,” said the SDF president.
Chamling said age is not the only factor in politics where leadership ability also matters. He cited the examples of US president Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“It is the people who can retire political leaders. If anyone can make us retire, it is the Sikkimese people. I lost the 2019 election but I am not lost from the minds of the people. Till now they spoke about caste and religion to misguide the people. Having run out of this, they are now talking about my age. Tomorrow, they will be talking on a gender basis,” said Chamling.
The SDF president maintained that political parties should be debating about protecting the present and future of the people and working to address the issues of poverty, unemployment and other social problems. Despite all these real issues, they want to divert the people’s attention by talking about age, religion and caste,” he said.
Chamling, to a question, observed that people leaving SDF to form their own political parties including present Chief Minister PS Golay and Reform Call chief Ganesh Rai shows the relevance of SDF in today’s political landscape of Sikkim.
“They learnt in my political school and separated from me to start their own parties. This shows that both SDF and Chamling are still relevant in Sikkim. Hence, people believe and have faith in me. People have seen my works during our 25 years of government and today people are comparing the works of the new government and our government. They have realized that SDF government delivered better and are supporting me even today,” said Chamling.
