Chamling requests PM for reservation of seats for two communities in Assembly

Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday to reserve seats for the Limbu and Tamang communities in the state Assembly.

While speaking at a programme after the inauguration of an airport here, Chamling said the state government had been demanding for the last 16 years to increase the number of seats in the Assembly to 40 from the existing 32, to include representatives of the two communities.

The prime minister inaugurated Monday Sikkim's first airport at Pakyong.

"We request you to consider this long pending demand of seat reservation since it is the will of the people for a long time now," Chamling said.

He said the other long pending demand of the state government was to grant tribal status to 11 other communities in the state which are Bahun, Chettri, Bhujel, Rai, Gurung, Dewan, Yamaha, Yogi, Sanyasi, Mumbai and Thami.

"Sikkim believes in you and your government, so please fulfil our wishes so that peace prevails in the most peaceful state in the country," he said.

He said Sikkim is surrounded by China, Nepal and Bhutan and is a very sensitive territory.

Chamling, who heaped praise on Modi and thanked him for the new airport in the state, said, "Under your able leadership the whole world sees India with respect and India's prestige in the world has increased".