Chamling urges Sonia to consider Limboo-Tamang reservation status

Gangtok, Aug 6 (UNI) Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has urged UPA Chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi to consider reservation of seats for Limboo and Tamang communities in Sikkim Legislative Assembly.

A government source today said Mr Chamling had called on Gandhi on August 4 in New Delhi and explained her the situation on the need for reservation of seats for these two ethnic groups.

He said since there was no specific reservation provision for these groups in the 32-member house, the Centre must come out with a solution to cater their needs to represent in the state law making body. The groups were also being deprived of many constitutional rights benefits for not having reservation of seat in the assembly, added Mr Chamling.

Sikkim goes to general election in 2009.

The Sikkim government had granted Scheduled Tribe status to these groups in 2003.

The chief minister maintained that securing the reservation of assembly seats for Limboo and Tamang communities should not disturb the existing system of specific reservation of 12 seats for Bhutia and Lepcha communities as well as one seat for Sangha in the assembly.

The UPA president gave a positive response and also accepted an invitation to visit Sikkim, the release added.

Meanwhile, the chief minister is also understood to have placed similar demands before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a meeting yesterday.

He also raised other issues like early implementation of the new airport at Pakyong, East Sikkim, an alternative highway for Sikkim as well as a rail link.

UNI BG SB PC RN1611