Chamling starts SDF election campaign from Daramdin

BIJOY GURUNG

SDF returning to power means development returning to West Sikkim: Chamling

GANGTOK,: Former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on Sunday promised a 50% reservation for Sikkimese women in government jobs and higher education, if the SDF is elected to power in the 2024 Sikkim Elections.

“During our government of 25 years, exemplary measures were taken for social justice and women empowerment like 50% reservation in panchayat bodies. In our coming government, we will give 50% reservation in jobs and higher education for women,” said Chamling during a SDF public meeting at Daramdin bazaar, Soreng district.

The SDF president was starting his election campaign from Daramdin in West Sikkim which was followed by another public meeting for Soreng-Chakung constituency. The 18-day campaign will see Chamling holding public meetings across the State with polling for the 32 Assembly seats and the lone Lok Sabha seat scheduled on April 19.

In his Daramdin address, Chamling unveiled several programmes of the SDF for West Sikkim including a Sherpa World Heritage & Culture Centre at Ribdi-Bhareng under Daramdin constituency. The Sherpa World Heritage & Culture Centre would become a global institution of Sherpa community, besides bringing development and benefits for Ribdi-Bhareng, he said.

The SDF president shared that the party has programmes to develop one thousand new tourism points – one at every ward to further augment the tourism appeal of Sikkim. We also plan to promote and brand every district in tourism…Soreng district would be branded as a nature and cultural tourism destination, he said.

Chamling also committed to develop West Sikkim as a new industrial zone if the SDF is voted to power in 2024 elections. In our coming government, we will declare the West Sikkim districts of Soreng and Geyzing as a new industrial zone starting from Melli to Daramdin and Nayabazaar to Legship, he said.

Chamling promised that the SDF government will bring green industries like liquid hydrogen and semi-conductor manufacturing units in West Sikkim, thereby creating jobs and increasing land value and trade activities in the region. SDF returning to power means development returning to West Sikkim, he said.

In his election campaign speeches at Daramdin and Soreng, the SDF president maintained that the SDF is returning to power this time, which would also immediately usher in an era of peace in Sikkim.

 “The day our government is formed there will be peace and safety in Sikkim…the era of peace in Sikkim will start. Vote for peace and security in Sikkim,” said the SDF president. He added that the SDF is campaigning in a simple manner this time, focusing more on engaging the people with the programmes and agendas of the party.

Among the poll promises of the SDF was free education for Sikkimese students up to university-level in State-run university, and greater focus on qualitative primary education. All primary schools would be developed like public schools in our coming government, Chamling said. He promised that the SDF government will directly transfer funds to the parents for purchasing school uniforms of their children.

Addressing the public meetings, SDF Lok Sabha candidate PD Rai strongly criticized the SKM government and MP Indra Hang Subba over Central-related issues and pending demands of Sikkim.

Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba could not take forward the Limboo-Tamang seat reservation demand…he did not speak on various issues of Sikkim in the Parliament, said Rai, also a former two-term Lok Sabha MP.

The SDF candidate urged the people to support his candidature and the SDF to resolve the pending Central-related issues and demands of Sikkim. He stressed that the SDF can deliver the Limboo-Tamang reservation in the State Legislative Assembly as the party already has a seat formula. The day after taking oath, we will bring the Limboo-Tamang seat issue in the Parliament, we will work in a collective manner with support of other Parliamentarians to get the Limboo-Tamang seats, he said.

“During our government, we had done extensive work on the tribal status demand which had progressed well in the Centre. But after our government, it has not progressed any further under the SKM government,” said Rai.

The SDF has fielded Pem Norbu Sherpa as its candidate for Daramdin constituency.  He had lost from the constituency in the 2019 elections.

Addressing the gathering, the SDF candidate recalled his electoral contest in 2019 and apologized for his inadvertent errors that time. He contended that Daramdin constituency did not witnessed proper development during the SKM government. Whatever developmental work was done here, it was achieved during the SDF government, he said.

Veteran politician Dr. AD Subba is the SDF candidate for Soreng-Chakung constituency.

Speaking at the Soreng-Chakung public meeting, Chamling said: “Dr. AD Subba is a social worker and an experienced leader. He will work for the people with commitment and I urge people to make him victorious.”

In his brief address, Dr. Subba asserted that the SKM government must be voted out to save Sikkim and its people. We must bring back the SDF government to protect the future and existence of Sikkim and Sikkimese, he said. He promised to work sincerely if people of Soreng-Chakung elect him as their public representative.