BJP blames SKM for backing out from a pre-poll alliance in Sikkim

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday hit out at the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) for backing out the alliance between the two parties for inexplicable reasons a few days after making a firm commitment on the issue.

"We were ready to accommodate most of the demands by the SKM leadership to sew up an alliance with us for Sikkim Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, but PS Golay led-party chickened out at the last minute without giving any reasons," a senior BJP leader, who was involved in talks with the SKM leadership, told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

He said that the SKM’s withdrawal from a pre-poll alliance in Sikkim has embarrassed the BJP no end as it had gone public about it on a commitment given by Golay himself following a meeting with BJP’s North-East and Sikkim in-charge Ram Madhav in Delhi in the first week of March this year.

The SKM leadership, however, took an about turn after reaching Sikkim and reneged on the alliance with the BJP without citing any reason, the BJP leader said.

Ruing at the missed opportunity to oust the 25-year-old Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) from power, he said that the SKM will be held "squarely responsible" if the Pawan Kumar Chamling government returns to power for a sixth term in Sikkim.

The BJP leader said that his party was undaunted with a setback to fructify an alliance with the SKM and said that it will aim to make its presence felt in political waters of Sikkim. He said that the BJP has put up candidates on 12 assembly seats and the lone Lok Sabha seat with an aim to open its accounts at the hustings.

Elections to the 32 Assembly seat as well as the sole Lok Sabha constituency in Sikkim will be held simultaneously on April 11. The SKM and SDF are contesting on all 32 assembly seats.