Calm in Darjeeling before polls

TNN | Apr 13, 2014, DARJEELING: Mamata Banerjee's public meeting at the Darjeeling mall on Sunday will certainly clear some air on the outcome of the election in this constituency scheduled to be held on April 17.

But at the moment, there is an uncanny calm all around. Save for the occasional flags or posters there is no indication that elections are five days away. Another indication is the deployment of large number of security personnel. CRPF jawans have started patrolling the mall and other parts of the Darjeeling town.

On Saturday, Congress organized an election rally through the mall. It was led by the candidate Sujay Ghatak and was made to get people to Adhir Chowdhury's rally at the Chalk Bazar. However, the Congress is hardly of factor in Darjeeling in the forthcoming election. The primary fight is between Trinamool and GJM-backed BJP.

All eyes are on whether BJP succeeds again, after 2009 when Jaswant Singh won by a huge margin. Trinamool has entrusted former football captain Baichung Bhutia to upset BJP's plan.

Though the local population may seem nonchalant to the going on, the elections are being discussed. It would not be smooth sailing for anybody this time. "Narendra Modi may not have made the hind of impact. He would have liked with the people in the hills. I would be the BJP, a 50-50 chance. Modi will have to work his magic because GJM chief Bimal Gurung no longer seems to enjoy the kind of support he used to do in the hills," said a patron of the well known Joey's Pub.

Not everybody feels like him though.

A section of people believe that GJM-BJP combine will win the seat by a lower margin than in 2009. "The state government will never win greater autonomy for the Hills. In all likelihood, a BJP-led government will come to power at the Centre. GJM has done well in going with BJP and people have realized that," said a resident of Kalimpong.

While the GJM may have slipped a beat in Darjeeling subdivision, is still enjoys some support in Kalimpong and Karshiang.