Parliament will function better with a clear mandate: Re-elected Sikkim MP (Interview)

The new government under the leadership of Narendra Modi must strengthen India's federal system, said Prem Das Rai Friday after he was re-elected to the lone Lok Sabha seat from the land-locked Himalayan state of Sikkim. He said parliament will function better with a clear mandate for the NDA which the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) will support.

"Better days are ahead for Indian federal system as Modiji has always emphasised on strong state leadership and on empowering leaders from the states," Rai told IANS, congratulating Modi for his thumping victory in the general elections.Rai contested the parliamentary seat on a ticket from the SDF that have stormed into power for the record fifth consecutive term.

According to latest results, the SDF won 20 seats and was leading on one seat in the 32-member state Assembly under the leadership of Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, who has been chief minister of the state for a record four terms.

"I congratulate Modiji and the BJP for the victory," Rai said as he also thanked the people of Sikkim for reposing their faith in the leadership provided by the SDF.

Announcing that SDF would align with BJP at the centre, Rai said the parliament would be the greatest beneficiary of the clear mandate for the BJP-led NDA at the centre.

"With NDA heading towards two thirds majority at the 16th Lok Sabha, there will be few disruptions and parliament will be able to function better," Rai told IANS.

According to Rai, "In a better functioning parliament, I will be able to better represent the wishes of the people of Sikkim".

Widely recognised as the man to have introduced information technology (IT) and sustainable ecotourism to Sikkim, Rai said the visionary leadership provided by Narendra Modi helped the BJP-led NDA to win absolute majority in the 2014 general election.

"The NDA victory was expected as Congress floundered in its campaign and failed to offer strong leadership to the people," said the MP, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad.

(Gokul Bhagabati can be contacted at gokul.b@ians.in)

- Indo-Asian News Service

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