Gangtok: Former CM Pawan Kumar Chamling said denying Ashish Rai a ticket in the 2019 elections from the Arithang constituency cost the Sikkim Democratic Front Party the 2019 elections. Chamling, the President of the SDF party, was addressing a party-joining event at the party office on Tuesday.
Ashish Rai, serving as the Gangtok Municipal Corporation Subject Committee Chairman, was seen by many as the most eligible candidate from the Arithang constituency as an SDF youth leader. He was replaced by Shyam Pradhan as the candidate, which saw widespread protests from SDF and Ashish Rai supporters before the 2019 elections.
Terming Ashish Rai’s return as ‘homecoming’, Chamling said, “Ashish Rai was not given a ticket in 2019 and thereafter we realised it was a mistake. It was more of a misunderstanding, we will rectify the mistake that toppled us from the government. In 2024, we will not make that mistake.
We admit that it will be our last mistake. We welcome him back home, we are happy for his return and we feel he is family.”
Ashish Rai in his address also admitted to ‘homecoming’. “I left the SDF party on 25 March 2019 to be an independent candidate from Arithang.
On 19 September 2023, I returned back home. For four-and-a-half years, I was living by the SDF party’s principles. What Chamling has done for Sikkim is for future generations. There is infrastructure made in his era that will bring recognition to Sikkim today and tomorrow. Organic Sikkim is another example of the same, today ruling front undervalued Organic Mission. But when G20 happened in Sikkim, they realised the recognition of Sikkim as Organic Sikkim.”
Speaking on SDF 2.0, Rai further stated, “I am here to Save Sikkim, people tell me how I can lick back my own spit, I am ready to lick back 100 spits for Sikkim. Show me one leader who doesn’t get old. He has been here since the monarchy to 50 years of democracy next year, he is the only leader. If they (the SKM party) were bringing changes, why hasn’t Sikkim seen change?”
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Chamling asserted SDF’s Save Sikkim campaign, terming it the last chance in the 2024 elections. He said, “The election will happen anytime between December to February, there is an assumption that it will happen two months prior. Hence, there is no time left. I urge everyone to go back to constituencies and work for the people. There is a need for teamwork, to make the party stronger. There is no room for groupism but the need to save Sikkim. We must stand united and work in every constituency. We must ensure the SDF party wins, where Sikkim wins and is saved.”
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