Pakyong, October 30 : The upcoming by-elections in Sikkim have become turbulent, with two major parties – the CAP Party and the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) – facing significant setbacks. CAP Party, embroiled in a controversy over allegedly filing nominations with forged signatures, saw its candidates disqualified, while SDF was left in disarray as candidates withdrew their nominations due to the leader’s absence on an overseas trip.
In what the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) party calls a failure of accountability and integrity, CAP Party’s alleged misconduct came to light during the nomination scrutiny process for the Soreng-Chakhung and Namchi-Singithang constituencies. SKM claims that CAP Party not only submitted documents with fake signatures but also failed to verify proposer information accurately. Multiple cases reportedly included mismatched signatures, incorrect caste designations instead of proposer names, and even an instance where an illiterate proposer’s thumbprint was allegedly used as a forged signature. More concerningly, some proposers were either out of state or didn’t recognize the CAP candidates, further raising questions about CAP’s integrity in the process.
The scrutiny, conducted under the Election Commission of India’s regulations, involved detailed checks by election observers. CAP’s inability to substantiate its documents, according to SKM, led to an admission of errors in the scrutiny room. However, the CAP Party is reportedly attempting to deflect blame and mislead the public with unsubstantiated claims against the electoral process.
SKM asserts that this is not CAP’s first instance of electoral misconduct, pointing to similar issues in the previous general election where two CAP candidates were disqualified. Despite a modest 6% vote share in the last election, CAP is accused of trying to draw attention through unethical means – a move SKM believes has ultimately failed, causing CAP to lose public trust.
Meanwhile, SDF Party faced a different setback as its candidates withdrew their nominations, reportedly due to the absence of organizational support. With the leader abroad, SDF candidates found themselves without necessary backing, leading them to withdraw nominations – a move SKM interprets as evidence of organizational disarray within the party.
In response to what SKM calls “baseless accusations” from CAP and SDF, the ruling party has emphasized the importance of strong opposition in a democracy. However, SKM claims the unfounded allegations from these parties demonstrate frustration rather than effective opposition, urging Sikkim’s electorate to focus on the integrity of the electoral process.
The by-election controversy highlights significant challenges for CAP and SDF as they struggle to maintain credibility and relevance in Sikkim’s political landscape, adds in SKM press release.
