Ravangla
(south Sikkim),
April 7: The sleepy sub-divisional town in south Sikkim, famed
for its picturesque locales, today woke up to give a rousing
welcome to C.B. Karki who is the new Sikkim Democratic Front
candidate for Wok constituency.
The town is also home to the largest number
of supporters of the ruling party. The welcome rally organised
by the SDF supporters from Wok soon turned into a show of
strength with party supporters from neighbouring Ralang constituency
also pouring in to show their solidarity with Karki.
A close friend of chief minister Pawan Chamling
and also the SDF treasurer, Karki was introduced to the people
of the constituency by party vice-president K.N. Rai. Two-time
sitting legislator from Wok, Rai had been shifted to Jorethang
constituency also in south Sikkim.
Karki whose name had figured prominently
in the list of probable candidates for the lone Lok Sabha
seat was fielded for Wok constituency on March 22.
Thousands of supporters, who had gathered
at Ravangla bazar early in the morning holding out traditional
scarves and placards, cheered and shouted slogans denouncing
the Congress when Karki arrived at the scene.
The supporters also staged a procession
in the bazaar that culminated at the party office in Namchi
road where a public meeting was organised to let the people
know their new candidate.
D.D. Bhutia, the party vice-president and
health minister who is contesting the third term from neighbouring
Ralang constituency, was also present at the rally today.
Bhutia, considered to be Chamling's deputy
in the cabinet, is the senior-most leader of the Bhutia Lepcha
community that has 12 seats reserved in the Assembly. Speaking
at the meet, Karki thanked Chamling for nominating him from
the Wok seat and promised to do his best for the people of
the constituency.
`I will also try my best to carry forward
the development work started by Rai in this constituency,`
said the man who grew with Chamling in the south Sikkim village
of Yangang and also cut his teeth into politics at the same
time as the latter.
Wok, Ralang and Damthang constituencies
in south Sikkim form the core of the SDF's support base since
it is from these seats that the party kicked-off its fight
for power in the early nineties.
The South district comprises seven Assembly
seats and in the last two terms the ruling party had won by
record margins.
Courtesy
The Telegraph |
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