Morcha to back BJP list

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, March 23: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today said it would not field any candidate for the Siliguri Municipal Corporation elections and would extend "unconditional" support to BJP nominees, a day after the hill party expressed its willingness to name "three to four candidates" who would contest under the BJP symbol.

The BJP had announced most of its candidates for the 47 SMC wards on Saturday and Morcha chief Bimal Gurung's announcement yesterday had raised doubts about the list published by the national party.

Today, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: "The party discussed the issue today and it has been decided that we will extend unconditional support to the BJP candidates in all 47 wards. The decision has been taken, as Morcha is a member of the NDA. We are not going to field our candidates for the SMC polls as said earlier."

Yesterday, Gurung had said at a party meeting: "We will select three or four candidates for the SMC polls. They will contest under the BJP flag."

Sources in the Morcha said the hill party was of the opinion that it would be better to support the BJP than to field its own candidates. "After the recent meeting with senior BJP leaders in Delhi, the party wants to send a positive message. Although the party had earlier decided to try and field its own candidate under the BJP symbol, it felt that in the long run, the decision to extend support would be better in strengthening the relation with the BJP," said a source in the Morcha.

The source said the primary reason for the party wanting to field its own candidate was the fact that names of Nepali-speaking candidates had not featured in the lists of Trinamul, the CPM and the Congress.

"Bimal Gurung's main concern was that Nepali-speaking candidates should also have been fielded in the SMC elections as there are pockets of the community in Siliguri," said the source. "But it was pointed out that the BJP had already fielded two Nepali-speaking candidates and the Morcha felt that there was no need in pushing for candidates and putting the BJP in an uncomfortable situation as the party had already finalised its list," the source added.

The BJP has fielded Tashi Dorjee Lama from ward 42 and Lalu Maya Chhetri from ward 43.

"Had the Morcha fielded its candidate in the SMC elections, there was a possibility that anti-BJP parties would rake up the statehood issue. In the SMC elections, the statehood issue would have put the BJP on the back foot. With the Morcha deciding not to contest the election directly, the issue will probably be subdued to some extent," said an observer.