Sikkim Agenda: After late resignation what will Golay do now?

P S Golay’s resignation from Sikkim Democratic Front did not come as a surprise. What took him so long is the question! He has been attracting the leadership for last three years but had not resigned. At several public meetings he has said, “When the right time comes, I will quit.” So how is this the right time? The critics say that Golay chose to resign now so that a by-election cannot happen in the constituency. Is he afraid of facing the people of his constituency?

In his 14 page long resignation letter written in Nepali and addressed to SDF President Pawan Chamling, Golay says nothing new and once again questions CM’s leadership and alleges favouritism and nepotism in the party. Golay said SDF failed to discharge its responsibilities and become “a resource” for chief minister Chamling. He says, “The first reason for my resignation is the difficulties I face while doing people’s work as the party’s policies are not people-oriented. Nepotism, favouritism and poor leadership of the party are few of the other reasons for my resignation.”

Sources in the Assembly said Golay would cease to be a member of the House once the party accepted his resignation.

Golay is one of the founding members of SDF that was formed wayback in 1994 and has been a member of the Assembly for four terms (1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009). But after wining in 2009 election, he distanced himself from the party. Before he was asked by the party to contest from Upper Burtuk in 2009, he had been elected thrice from the Soreng constituency in West Sikkim. He was also a cabinet minister in SDF government.

Golay who himself was a part of the government and the party for so long will have to answer during elections why he had taken so much time to come out openly against alleged corruption charges.

Golay has already launched his own party, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) on February 4, 2013. SKM supporters were many a time alleged of violence and confrontation with the SDF supporters on minor issues. Sikkim might see more disturbance and political violence in the days to come, because dissident MLA Golay and his ardent supports were adamant to continue violence in order to influence the masses.

Pawan Chamling enjoys enormous support in the state, a recent Panchayat Elections have proved it. It will be interesting to see how 43-year-old Golay gains support from the areas totally influenced by SDF.

As Sikkim is touching new heights in development, tourism and education, people’s faith in SDF is growing stronger day by day. If Golay and his party prove to be a constructive opposition he can get some intellectual support in Sikkim. But if he wants ‘too-much-too-early’ then it will have a negative impact among the people of Sikkim. The list of achievements under Chamling’s leadership is spiraling up so Golay will have a hard time to prove his allegations. The resignation seems only the first step.