Kolkata: The former Chief Minister of Sikkim, B.B. Gooroong, has accused another former Chief Minister of the State, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, of "super-imposing" his signature to an "entirely fabricated" letter to the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.

Mr. Gooroong, who became the Chief Minister on May 11, 1984, told The Hindu over telephone from Gangtok on Wednesday that he would sue Mr. Bhandari, who served as Chief Minister on two occasions, from October 1979 to May 1984 and from 1985 to 1994, "for super-imposing my signature on a letter that was never written and published in a booklet brought out by the Sikkim Pradesh Congress, which was released by its president Mr. Bhandari on Tuesday."

"This is a gross misdemeanour. I consulted the matter with Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, who has advised me not to take it lying down," Mr. Gooroong, at present adviser to Mr. Chamling, said.

The letter to Indira Gandhi, purportedly written by Mr. Gooroong shortly before he took over as Chief Minister, says he intended to abolish the "son of the soil" policies of then Government led by Mr. Bhandari on the matter of providing employment if he were asked to head the Government.

"The letter, which was entirely fabricated, appears in the booklet written in Nepali titled "Sikkim Pradesh Congress Sandesh: Sikkim Ma Burma Loot [the loot in Sikkim]" which has been published with the sole intention of maligning the present Government," Mr. Gooroong said.

Mr. Bhandari was removed after a revolt within the State Congress on May 10, 1984.

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