GANGTOK,: Chief Minister PS
Golay on Wednesday urged the SKM cadres not to let their overconfidence or
groupism for candidature sabotage the party's momentum for a resounding win in
the 2024 Assembly elections. He explained to the party workers that they stand
to lose if the SKM suffers an electoral defeat by fielding wrong candidates.
“We have
capable party workers in every constituency but there are only 32 Assembly
seats and one Lok Sabha seat. We must consider various factors like youth,
women candidates, caste and religion to give justice to every category. All of
us cannot be given tickets, we must send capable and winning candidates to form
our government,” said Golay.
He was
addressing a SKM-organised mass joining programme ‘Vijayee Bhava: Jan Sammelan’
at Dentam public ground, West Sikkim.
Golay
asserted that the SKM has almost clinched the electoral victory based on its
good governance but cautioned the party workers not to let their overconfidence
be a hurdle at the last moment.
“The SKM
has already won the match by scoring 10-12 goals. There is no opposition in
Sikkim barring a few who stay in bazaars and do press conferences only. No
opposition can be seen in the villages. The only formality (for SKM) is to wait
for the final whistle and receive the trophy. However, there are still few
minutes left in the game and we must be very careful and not be overconfident
in these final moments”, he said.
The SKM
president pointed out that many ticket aspirants, no matter how capable, would
be left out when the Parliamentary Board selects the final 32 Assembly
candidates and one Lok Sabha candidate.
“At that
time, do not think that the party has overlooked your capability and
contributions to the party, the party will take care of you and give you
dignified posts in our next government. I appeal to you all not to go around in
groups but collectively campaign as Team SKM. We have so many things to
consider while selecting a winning candidate. If we take a wrong decision then
our government may not come and that time, it will be a huge loss for the party
workers also,” he expressed.
The Chief
Minister shared that electors in Sikkim are eagerly waiting for April 19, the
day of polling, to give their votes to ‘table lamp’, the SKM’s election symbol.
“People
are ready to give their votes to us. So we must not move around in groups but
go ahead as Team SKM. We will win all the 32 seats and the Lok Sabha seat but
at the same time, our candidates must not stay complacent thinking that the
party leadership will do everything,” said Golay.
Golay
reiterated his promise to give a minister’s berth to the candidate winning with
the highest margin along with major developmental programmes in the particular
constituency.
Golay told
the gathering that the Dentam public meeting was not the official start of
SKM’s election campaign. “Today was a mass joining programme as there were
scores of people and eminent figures who were waiting to join our party. We
will announce our party candidates within some days and after filing of
nominations end, our official campaigning would start. A Maha Jan Sammelan
would be held where we will share plans and programmes of our coming
government,” he said.
‘SKM turned impossible into possible’
The Chief
Minister asserted that the SKM government has brought happiness in the lives of
every poor family in Sikkim through welfare schemes, service regularisation and
adhoc government jobs. He also countered
the opposition’s allegations on the regularisation process and questions on
fiscal strength to pay salaries of regularized employees and newly appointed
adhoc employees whose numbers run in thousands.
“Opposition
has panicked and making illogical questions on how funds would be provided to
pay the salaries of our regularised and newly appointed employees. They say it
is impossible. Yes, it was impossible for them for 25 years but it was not
impossible for SKM who has made it possible by regularising thousands of adhoc
employees and given job orders to over 20,000 youth. We have allocated
sufficient funds in the Vote on Account for payment of salaries. It is our
responsibility to give salaries to the government employees but the opposition
parties are making unsound allegations because they cannot see the happiness of
the poor people,” he said.
