GNLF may support TMC

SNS, Kurseong, 13 March 2014: The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) is most likely to support Trinamul Congress in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

It is learnt that the senior GNLF leadership recently held a meeting with its chief, Subash Ghisingh, at his rented residence at Matigara in Siliguri, and discussed the elections. They have decided to support any party that will make a commitment to revive the deferred bill of the sixth schedule in parliament, leaders said today.

A senior GNLF leader, Nima Lama, from Kurseong said party representatives from all the three sub-divisions in the Darjeeling Hills have held meetings with the party chief.

According to him, a decision has already been taken on the Lok Sabha polls, but that an official announcement will be made at the “right time and by taking into account the political developments in mind.”

However, another senior leader said the GNLF has taken a decision to help a party that supports “our demand for the revival of the issue of granting sixth schedule status to Darjeeling.

The leader claimed that several Trinmul leaders have approached the GNLF, but added that a “TMC heavyweight” must meet the GNLF chief to discuss the polls.

TMC sources, meanwhile, said North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb and other senior leaders are likely to meet Mr Ghisngh “very soon” and seek his support for their Darjeeling Constituency candidate Baichung Bhutia.