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.