The Sikkim BJP has been left red faced after its chief D.R. Thapa failed to properly interpret a public notice of the National Medical Commission (NMC).

The Medical Assessment & Rating Board (MARB) of NMC had issued a public notice on July 6 publishing the list of applications of 113 colleges for starting new medical colleges for the academic year 2024-25.

The name of “Sikkim Government Medical College” in Gangtok had also featured in the list of applications.

Thapa immediately expressed his gratitude to Modi and Union health minister J.P. Nadda “for the allocation of a new medical college for the state of Sikkim.”

“This long awaited decision fulfils a significant demand that has been diligently pursued by BJP Sikkim with central leadership for an extended period,” stated Thapa.

The Sikkim BJP president also highlighted that the medical college issue had featured in BJP Sikkim’s manifesto during the recently held Assembly elections, which had coincided with the Lok Sabha polls.

Thapa said the party leaders had briefed Nadda on the crucial issue he had visited Sikkim to campaign for the party. “We are immensely pleased with the swift decision made by the health minister in favour of Sikkim,” stated Thapa.

Sikkim health minister G.T. Dhungel, however, contested Thapa’s claim and added that a new medical college had not been allocated to the state.

On Monday, NMC issued another public notice and without naming Sikkim clarified that NMC had only published a list of applications against which the final decision had been taken by the MARB.

“Final decision does not mean approval in respect of all 113 applications. The decision might be either approval or disapproval. Such decisions have already been communicated to the medical institutions concerned. The decision will be uploaded on the website of NMC in due course,” the NMC public notice reads.

On Tuesday, the Sikkim BJP tried to damage control by blaming the Sikkim government. The party issued an official statement and stated that it was wrong to say that NMC has “denied approval” to Sikkim.

“The Centre has given its approval for a government medical college in Sikkim four years back and also allotted ₹250 crore to develop the infrastructure. Construction work is also going on but because of the delay in construction, permission to start classes was not granted for this academic year,” a BJP Sikkim leader clarified.