Sikkim BJP terms SKM govt as 'corrupt', rules out a post-poll alliance

Gangtok: A day after breaking off alliance with the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), the BJP on Sunday launched an all-out attack on the ruling party describing it as "corrupt" and asked the people to vote for the saffron party to usher in a double engine government to fast track development in the Himalayan state.

Launching a vitriolic attack on the SKM, BJP Sikkim Spokesperson Passang Sherpa said that the ruling party was running a "corrupt" government and "indulging in political violence and selling natural resources and assets of the state like hydel power projects at throw-away prices".

"We are glad that the uncomfortable alliance with the SKM is over for good and we feel free now having broken the shackles of keeping company with the SKM", Sherpa told reporters.

He said the BJP, in the event of being elected to power in Sikkim, will get various acts of "corruption and swindling" of public money by the SKM leaders and government officials, to be thoroughly probed and stern action taken against the culprits.

The Sikkim BJP spokesperson refused to dwell into reasons behind the collapse of the alliance with the SKM and ruled out a post-poll alliance with the latter too saying that his party has an unshakeable alliance with the people of Sikkim and trust the people to give his party an opportunity to serve them.

On SKM leader and Chief Minister's Political Secretary Jacob Khaling Rai's assertion on Saturday that the doors of a post-poll alliance between the two parties were open, the Sikkim BJP spokesperson ruled out such a possibility.

Asked about the possibility of an alliance with the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) in the event of falling short of majority in the assembly elections, he said the party leadership will take whatever decision will become necessary in such an eventuality.

Sherpa said that the BJP candidates for the simultaneous elections to 32 assembly and lone Lok Sabha seat will be decided within a day.

The two parties had contested 2019 assembly polls separately with the SKM going on to win 17 seats to form the government, while the BJP drew a blank polling less than two per cent votes.

The two parties later formed a post-poll alliance after the BJP's tally of MLAs swelled to 10 with as many defectors from the SDF joining it while two others switched allegiance to the SKM taking its tally to 19.

The BJP later contested two assembly bypolls winning both to increase its tally to 12.