Former Sikkim Chief Minister accuses current CM of promoting dynastic politics

In a scathing attack on the current Chief Minister of Sikkim, PS Goley, former Chief Minister and President of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), Pawan Kumar Chamling, accused him of promoting dynastic politics in the state. Chamling, who served as Chief Minister for a record 25 years, called out Goley for introducing the "PariwarTaan" ideology in Sikkim in the name of "Pariwartan," or change.

Chamling, who served as Chief Minister for a record 25 years, called out Goley for introducing the "PariwarTaan" ideology in Sikkim in the name of "Pariwartan," or change, and accused him of having no moral ground to criticize him for promoting "pariwarvad," or dynastic politics.

He slammed Goley's family members, who he says have become a "power center," with a half CM, ¼ CM, an MLA, and the Party’s Health Minister, among others.

Chamling claimed that he had kept his word not to give party tickets to any of his family members during his tenure as Chief Minister, nor did he make his spouse, children, or any other family member a part of the government or party.

He recounted a family meeting he had held after the formation of the first SDF government in 1994, during which he had advised his family members to "have equal rights with the rest of the Sikkimese people" and to "never introduce yourself as the Chief Minister’s wife or son or daughter." He said that he had always commended his family's full respect as a husband and father.

In contrast, Chamling accused Goley of giving all the key positions of the government and the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) party to his family members, as well as roping in all his relatives from Darjeeling, Dooars, Kalimpong, and Nepal.

He alleged that Goley's relatives had control over most of the police stations in Sikkim, and were stationed in key positions to control panchayats, businesses, and departmental administration. Chamling also accused them of making crores of money out of event management for the SKM party's picnics, programs, rallies, and other celebrations.

Chamling challenged Goley to appoint a full-fledged Health Minister and give them complete freedom to run the ministry without interference from his family.

He also defended his daughter, Komal Chamling, and said that she, like any other Sikkimese child, had the right to choose to become whatever she aspired to be, including a politician. He stressed that during his tenure as Chief Minister, he had not given her or any of his children a party ticket to become MLA or MP.

Chamling called for a change in the politics of Sikkim, which he claimed had been marred by lies, obscenities, threats, political violence, organized crime, nepotism, compromise, and incompetence, among other issues.

He concluded by stating that his political career was there for all to see, and that the people of Sikkim should be the judge of whether he had kept his word about not promoting dynastic politics in the state.