Former Sikkim CM apologises for 8217;94 mistakes8217;

Echoing her husband, the party working president and a former MP Dil Kumari Bhandari also admitted that SSP during its 14-year rule committed some mistakes. quot;But those who work, err,quot; she added apparently seeking to justify the mistakes.

The SSP leaders8217; apology assumes significance as the State is gradually gearing up for the Assembly elections scheduled for this year end.

Bhandari, who ruled the State in three terms, was often called an quot;autocrat and a dictatorquot; 8211; a criticism the former chief minister had himself rejected saying he wanted to quot;disciplinequot; the administration.

quot;Everyone except the ruling party functionaries are welcome,quot; he said before formally admitting a group of 12 people, including some former government servants, into the outfit.

Referring to Congress8217; move, of late, to make a couple of parties merge into it, the SSP chief said the party can spend money but not give the government.

The SSP president, who had already declared that his party would go alone in the next Assembly elections, alleged both SDF and Congress were quot;the birds of same featherquot; and would fight jointly. Bhandari asked his partymen to shun groupism and indiscipline and be quot;politequot; in their dealings.