Many senior Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) leaders and their followers officially joined the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) on Wednesday at a programme in Jorethang.

Former ministers Bhim Dhungel, RB Subba, Kalawati Subba and former MLAs Deepak Gurung, Madan Cintury and Em Prasad Sharma joined the SKM in the presence of SKM supremo and Sikkim Chief Minister P S Tamang.

Welcoming the SDF leaders in the SKM fold, Tamang said they would further strengthen the ruling party.

Tamang said “SDF has never respected its cadre and acknowledged their contributions for keeping PK Chamling in power. But we are a party that moves forward with everyone irrespective of their previous party affiliations and now they will get all respect

they deserve.”

The SKM president extended his greetings to all party workers on the occasion of the fifth ‘Jan Unmukti Diwas’ and expressed his gratitude to all leaders, workers, and supporters for standing with the party.

“I express my heartfelt gratitude to every party worker and support and would never forget them.” he said.

Tamang said the SKM government would fulfil all its promises and would not betray the people of Sikkim. “Out Kranti is not only to change the government but to bring the change in the system and the people would get the system, education and health that they desire and are entitled to”, he said.

‘Jan Unmukti’ diwas is celebrated every year by SKM to commemorate the day when its supremo was released from jail in 2018 after serving a year of imprisonment on charges of misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 9.5 lakh in a milching cow distribution scheme when he was the Animal Husbandry minister in the SDF government between the year 1999 and 2004.

Tamang claimed that the earlier government had conspired and sent him to jail despite him being “innocent” as he had raised the voice for the people against the autocratic government. He further alleged that the earlier government had hatched many conspiracies to suppress the voice of the people.

I was sent to the jail but people from different corners kept visiting me and senior leaders and workers of the party gave continuity to the party programmes and now we are in the government. SKM government is the government of Sikkimese people, and everyone would get justice and we would never forget the contribution of those who worked for the party during its difficult days, he said.