Mamata’s decision final on TMC candidate from Darjeeling: hill TMC

Deep Pradhan, EOI, Mirik, 1 February 2014: After the announcement by chief minister Mamata Banerjee about the TMC fielding its own candidate from all the 42 constituencies of the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the hill TMC is anxious to know who will be fielded from the Darjeeling constituency.

Despite the hill TMC’s demand for a son-of-the-soil candidate, the leaders here now appear ready to follow the high command’s decision.

Indicating this, hill TMC spokesperson Binny Sharma said the party chief’s decision will be the final on the issue. Playing down questions on a GJM-TMC alliance, he said media reports of a potential alliance have nothing to do with the party’s decision. He said the candidate will probably be decided in the second week of February when the regional leadership sits for a meeting with TMC general secretary Mukul Roy.

The Darjeeling constituency, which was wrested by the BJP in the last general elections, seems to be a key issue this time in the political equation of the state as a whole and of the nation to an extent.

The hill TMC spokesperson said a meeting was held with Roy in Kolkata on Friday that focused on development, peace and party expansion in Darjeeling. He added they also discussed the issue of casual workers and the party will soon take steps to demand their regularisation.