Poll war heats up, cry for Gorkhaland statehood rises

Debasis Sarkar, ET, SILIGURI, 13 March 2014: With one after other entrants in the battlefield, election war in Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency, at the center of separate Gorkhaland statehood demand, is getting complicated day by day.

As formation of 16th Lok Sabha is going to be a critical number game, like every other constituencies, Darjeeling too, at present under the realm of separate Gorkhaland statehood demand by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha(GJM), has become important to all.

Historically, support from Gorkhaland activists always remained the decisive factor here.

Congress, despite its desperate attempt to come close to GJM, has lost in the game. But the hobnobbing of GJM with INC made ruling party in West Bengal TMC alarmed. Immediately, TMC started getting cozy with GJM.

But, after long tug of war, finally GJM preferred supporting BJP. "After we supported BJP in 2009, Mr. Jaswant Singh became our MP and he was the only one to speak in favour of Gorkhaland in parliament. So we have decided to support BJP once again," said Mr. Bimal Gurung. GJM president.

BJP top leader Mr Harendra Prasad told ET before 2009 election,"We will sympathetically consider Gorkhaland demand along with Telengana and Bidharva. We ideologically prefer smaller states that facilitate progress."

But in contrast to what Mr. Gurung or Prasad claimed, as per parliament record, Mr Jaswant Singh asked zero question in his entire 5 years long tenure in 15th Loksabha. He took part only 13 debates out of which, only 2 had any relationship with Darjeeling."Then why BJP again?" that is surfacing as a major question from unhappy GJM workforce.

However, INC is yet to finalize its candidate for the seat. Clear enough, finding picture less prospective, no one there is ready to get sacrificed .And TMC's candidate here is noted football player Baichung Bhutiya who is yet to be successful in neutralizing the large scale resentment of TMC workers against 'outsider' candidate.

Meanwhile, the former Vice Chancellor of Sikkim University, and well known personality in hills Dr Mahendra P Lama has also decided to enter into the arena. And with the same Gorkhaland statehood demand. Naturally, Gorkhaland sentiment vote, the main capital of GJM is bound to get divided in many parts.

Considering all these,"Situation is in favour of our candidate Saman Pathak," claimed ex state minister Mr. Ashok Bhattacharya. But he also knows, it is not going to be easy since Rajbangsi, a major community in the constituency is planning to vote for BJP.