New party formed in Sikkim, promises to operate through crowd-funding
Ganesh Kumar Rai, the Citizen Action Party (CAP) founder, said the new party will not have a flag and will function through crowd-funding
Former Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) leader Ganesh Kumar Rai has formed Citizen Action Party (CAP) ahead of assembly elections in Sikkim due next year.
The new party will not have a flag and function through crowd-funding. “Sikkim is marred by rampant corruption and needs political and economic reforms,” Rai said at the party’s launch on Thursday.
He said political flags have divided Sikkimese society and created enmity between people. “Hence the CAP will not have any flag. The CAP will also not have any political slogan.”
He urged Sikkimese people to contribute ₹300 to ₹500 monthly to the party. “Once we form the government, we will set up a political reform commission and introduce a political reform cess. ...we will eradicate corruption from the state.”
He said funds collected from the cess will be given to political parties in Sikkim. “This way political parties do not need to bank on commissions from development projects.”
Prem Singh Tamang led Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) came to power in 2019 defeating Pawan Chamling’s SDF.
This week, the SDF submitted a memorandum to governor Ganga Prasad, seeking imposition of the President’s rule in the state over “deteriorating law and order” under the SKM rule.
The SKM denied the charges saying it was the “SDF’s culture to terrorize people and political rivals while they were in power in the state for 25 years.”
Former India team football captain Bhaichung Bhutia-led Hamro Sikkim Party was formed in 2018. The SDF remains the main opposition party in the state.
Rai said Opposition parties in Sikkim have failed to do their duty and CAP is the need of the hour.
Rai’s wife, Tulsi Rai, was a minister in the SDF government. She resigned from the party that was in power for 25 years till 2019.