'Sikkim Progressive Youth Forum' Protests Against Defection of SDF MLAs to BJP and SKM

Gangtok, August 18, 2019:

The Sikkim Progressive Youth Forum (SPYF) have taken to the streets in protest today. The youth organization is protesting the defection of 12 MLAs belonging to the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party to the rival parties, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Calling it a "betrayal of the public mandate" and a "travesty of democracy", SPYF has demanded the defected MLAs' immediate resignation from the State Assembly.

Earlier, the youth organization had slammed the SDF legislators for joining hands with the BJP party. The youth organization said in a statement that, “We strongly condemn the recent horse-trading that took place between the MLAs of SDF and BJP in Delhi today. It is a clear betrayal of people’s mandate. People of Sikkim were never ever in the favour of BJP is clear from the fact that the BJP had recieved only 1.63% of the total vote share in the recently held general and assembly elections in the state, where despite of fighting in all the seats it lost its deposits in all the constituencies. However, the SDF MLAs by indulging in the horse trading has given them 10 legislators in the state Assembly.”

Bharat Basnet, Navin Kiran, Passang Sherpa, among others are also participating in the agitation. A strong police presence was accompanying the protesters to ensure that the protest remains peaceful.

It may be mentioned here that SDF supremo Pawan Chaming is now the last MLA standing from the party in the Sikkim Assembly after the defection of the MLAs.

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