DARJEELING, : The Citizen Action Party (CAP) Sikkim has asserted that the
Sikkim-Darjeeling merger was an “impossible issue” which would never happen.
This
statement was given on Monday to the media by CAP Sikkim chief coordinator
Ganesh Rai here at Darjeeling where he had come with party leaders to seek blessings
in the Mahakal Mandir. He also talked about the different political issues of
Sikkim along with the upcoming polls there.
Speaking
to reporters after his temple visit, Rai said, “The Sikkim-Darjeeling merger is
not a possible thing and Sikkim will never support it. Moreover, when we meet
leaders of Darjeeling on an informal basis, they tell us that they are not in
support of it but want Gorkhaland. The people of Darjeeling also have a dream
that in India there should be two States having Gorkha CMs.”
“The
political parties of Sikkim are always in support of the demand of Gorkhaland
and whoever has been raising the issue of merger is saying an impossible
thing,” he said.
Asked
about his visit here, the CAP Sikkim leader said, “We had come to the Mahakal Mandir
at Darjeeling to seek blessings as our party has already been registered along
with us also getting the symbol for the upcoming elections. We have completed
11 months of our party formation and we are getting much support and love from
the people of Sikkim so we are confident that we will form the government in
Sikkim in the 2024 Vidhan Sabha polls.”
Rai
maintained that they will be participating in both the Lok Sabha as well as the
Assembly elections scheduled to be held this year in Sikkim.
“In both
the elections we have faith in the people of Sikkim that they will support our
party and give us a chance. There is a need for improvement in Sikkim and we
have been saying that our party has been formed to bring reforms. In Sikkim
there is a requirement of political, economic, and administrative reforms and
we will take up these three issues in the elections,” said Rai.
Reacting
to the BJP Rajya Sabha candidate announcement in Sikkim, Rai said, “Tomorrow is
the last day of nomination for the Rajya Sabha election. In the Sikkim Vidhan
Sabha, there are MLAs of three different political parties which are the SKM,
SDF and BJP. We extend good wishes to D.T. Lepcha whose name has been announced
by the BJP as their Rajya Sabha candidate and will see if the SKM and SDF will
also field candidates. If they do not field any candidates, the three political
outfits might opt for an alliance. If that happens, we will give our reaction
then. Everything will be clear only by tomorrow.”
The CAP
Sikkim leader maintained that till now the party has not decided on having an
alliance with anyone and that its ideology and principles was not like any
other political outfit in Sikkim. He said that the CAP Sikkim will fight the
upcoming polls alone.
