Jalpaiguri: GJMM, JMM win people’s mandate

DOOARS RESULTS A BOOST FOR GJM-JMM: THT,SILIGURI: The gram panchayat election results in Dooars have given some space for the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) to claim that its demand for the inclusion of 198 mouzas in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was somewhat based on ground reality. 
The GJM, which fought the panchayat election in the Dooars in alliance with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is set to form gram panchayat boards in at least 12 gram panchayats. The GJM had fought the election to drive home the point that the recommendations of Shyamal Sen Committee formed to look into the party’s demand for inclusion of 396 mouzas of Terai in Darjeeling district and Dooars were devoid of ground reality. 
The Committee recommended the inclusion of only five mouzas - three in Terai and two in Dooars- in the GTA. 
The GJM had put all its efforts to galvanising Gorkha voters in the Dooars while its election partner the JMM worked in the Adivasi belts. GJM president Bimal Gurung toured the Dooars for almost a month while JMM president Sibu Soren addressed couple of election meetings. 
The panchayat election results showed that the GJM would singly formed the board at Jaigaon gram panchayat 1 in eastern Dooars while the party is likely to form the boards in at least another three gram panchayats in Kalchini block. 
Kalchini was one of the closely watched blocks as Wilson Champramari had won the assembly election twice from Kalchini with the support of the GJM. 
Rajesh Sharma, a senior GJM leader from Kalchini said, “The election results clearly show that the Shyamal Sen Committee had submitted its report without verifying the ground realities.”

Manas Bannerjee, Siliguri, 29 July 2013: At a time when the Left Front leaders are upset having failed to retain gram panchayats and panchayat samitis in Jalpaiguri as well as in the tea belt in the Dooars of this district, the Congress expressed concern about the significant rural poll results in favour of the GJMM and JMM. 

This is for the first time Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha bagged many GP seats and both the parties are the key factors in hung boards like GP and PS in the Dooars. 

Veteran Congress leader and MLA from Alipurduar, Mr Debaprasad Roy, said: “The mainstream political parties have lost control over the tea plantation areas. Unfortunately, this is for the first time, the voting trend and results are on the ethnic line. This trend is unfortunate and alarming.” 

When the LF used to control over GPs out of 146 ones in earlier years, today’s results have demoralised the CPI-M-backed LF. Out of 146 GP, the LF has been able to manage 58 GPs so far. Interestingly, though TMC had no base, the party has been able to bag nearly 40 GPs so far. 

When Congress bagged 12 GPs, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha bagged 5 GPs. More than 30 GPs are in hung position. Notably, GJMM and JMM contest the election jointly. Election officials announced the panchayat samiti results. Out of 13 PS seats, the LF secured six, TMC two, Congress one and three remained hung. 

The Left has secured absolute majority in Jalpaiguri (sadar) PS. The Congress has been able to retain Kalchini PS with absolute majority and the Trinamul Congress captured Falakata PS. The JMM leader and ABAVP splinter leader, Mr John Barla, claimed that his party would be able to form at least 14 GPs. 

According to the Jalpaiguri DM, Ms Smaraki Mahapatra, till 11:30 p.m, the CPI-M won four ZP seats, RSP won one, GJMM one and JMM one. 

Though the RSP ~ key ally of the LF in Jalpaiguri ~ has performed better in different areas, including the tea belt in the Dooars, party leaders are concerned about the fate of PS and ZP seats. 

Notably, the LF had controlled over 12 PS out of 13 in Jalpaiguri district. But the present trend is going against the LF. 

According to party sources, the Nagrakata PS, which was under the control of the LF, is in a hung position when JMM bagged three seats. Sources said, the CPI-M bagged only five seats, the Congress bagged three, and the Trinamul Congress three seats and Independent won one seat. 

The RSP district leader, Mr Prakash Roy, said: “The Trinamul, GJMM and JMM had made a poll understanding in this region. 

The Trinamul will be able to form boards with the help of the GJMM and JMM.” Similarly, when the LF bagged 13 seats for Madarihat panchayat samiti, the GJMM bagged seven seats. The TMC secured two and JMM secured one. 

"The result of a seat was undecided till counting," Mr Roy said. Sources said the Congress has been able to retain Kalchini PS after poll results. 

In Meteli panchayat samiti, the LF bagged only seven seats out of 15 ones. Others like the Congress managed four, JMM bagged three and Independent one.