Gangtok, Feb. 5 -- Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay dismissed speculation regarding the Sikkim-Darjeeling merger on Wednesday, saying that certain politicians and the opposition party are simply spreading rumours.

Post the legislative assembly session on February 5, Golay reassured, "The state's special status under Article 371F of the Indian Constitution would continue to protect Sikkim's autonomy. This is known to everyone, every Sikkimese. Even those spreading those rumours have been asked about the merger and they have claimed the merger will never happen. It is not possible, it is not an issue. They (opposition) do not have issues to pursue, so sometimes they spread these rumours. The opposition's claims about a merger are unf...