THOUGH angry old man of Sikkim politics Nar Bahadur Bhandari is continuing his tirade against his arch rival Pawan Chamling, his own house is in total disarray. Recently, 26 State Congress leaders have submitted a memorandum to the party high command demanding Mr. Bhandari’s immediate removal as the head of the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC).

Senior Congress leaders from the State including working president of SPCC A. K. Subba, vice- president K. N. Upreti, Biraj Adhikari in the said memorandum urged party chief Sonia Gandhi to investigate into various aspects of poll debacle earlier this year. Pointing the guns to Mr. Bhandari, the Congress leaders claimed that the former chief minister of the   State is no longer the same charismatic and popular leader as he used to be. Rather over the years he has turned into an autocratic leader, they alleged.

Though little softly, the State Congress leaders have questioned induction of Mr. Bhandari in the party before the Assembly elections. The memorandum says, “The high command had amusedly inducted Nar Bahadur Bhandari and merged his Sikkim Sangram Parishad into the Congress taking into consideration his vast experience and political maturity as well as his reputation of being a seasoned politician in this part of the country. Mr. Bhandari was appointed as the president of SPCC in August 2003, which we had to accept, albeit with a certain degree of restraint and resentment. The executive committee of the SPCC was, however, constituted only on 5/12/2003 after a period of nearly five months from his appointment as the president of SPCC. Although different persons were appointed in various committees constituted by the executive committee they were neither entrusted with specific duties and responsibilities nor were any proper directions issued to them as regards their functions. SPCC had thus erred and failed in preparing the party for the elections which were round the corner. “ Mr. Bhandari has been also accused for misusing funds by his colleagues. In the memorandum they alleged,” There is a full time treasurer in the SPCC office whose duty is to deal with the finance and accounts of the party. None in the Congress party or for that matter the treasurer knew the exact amount of funds released by the AICC to SPCC for the poll purpose. The president himself handled the accounts all alone and he alone knows the amount of the actual receipts, expenditure and the balance which is shrouded in dark veil of clouds. The fund provided by him to the candidates varied according to his like or dislike of the candidates. If the president had judiciously applied his mind and if he had wisely utilised the funds made available to the SPCC by AICC including funds received from other sources, the situation would have been much different and not so unpleasant.”

The leaders, in the memorandum, more than once blamed Nar  Bahadur Bhandari for the debacle at the hustings. Clearly, the latest development within the Congress party will immensely please Bhandari’s rival Sikkam Chief Minister Pawan Chamling.
 
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