GJMM to extend support to local man in coming LS polls

SNS, SILIGURI, 14 DEC 2013: At a time when the Trinamul Congress is trying hard to field soccer star Baichung Bhutia, a Sikkimese, in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leadership has decided to extend support to a local candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Having lost faith in the present MP Mr Jaswant Singh, a senior BJP leader, the GJMM leaders discussed the matter and adopted a resolution to support a local candidate affiliated to a political party.

Notably, the GJMM had strategically made a political relation with Mr Jaswant Singh and asked him to contest the Lok Sabha election from Darjeeling. Mr Singh had won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat in 2009. 

“Party activists even from the grassroots level have objected to extend support to an outsider in the upcoming LS polls. The issue was raised in our recent party meeting,” said the GJMM spokesperson, Mr Harka Bahadur Chhetri, adding, “However, the discussion is on”. 

Though Mr Chhetri refused to comment on the Trinamul’s plan to field Indian footballer Mr Bhutia, he said: “My party president Mr Bimal Gurung may discuss the issue with the chief minister and Trinamul party chief Mamata Banerjee at a meeting to be held in Kolkata on 20 December.” 

Party sources said a section of GJMM leaders are unhappy with the Darjeeling MP Mr Singh. “The BJP believes in formation of a small state and Mr Singh had assured the GJMM that he would fight for separate state but he was now trying to avoid the issue,” a senior GJMM leader said. 

Notably, an academician, Mr Mahendra P Lama, with the support of the All India Gorkha League and other pro-Gorkhaland organisations, has started campaigning in the Darjeeling Parliamentary constituency as an Independent candidate. 

However, the Gorkha Rashtriya Congress has planned to contest LS poll from Darjeeling and will announce the name of its candidate on 16 December.