Rebel leader gets rousing welcome

Photo:Anuraj Pradhan, Facebook

EOI, Darjeeling, 20 Dec 2015: Rebel leader and MLA, Harka Bahadur Chhetri got a rousing welcome in his home town, today, after the announcement of a Kalimpong district, and hinted floating a new political party, to counter the might of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) that is also claiming credit.

Although, still in its infant stage, Chhetri’s welcome however, have exposed GJM’s stronghold in the Hills which could turn out to be the ruling party’s Achilles heel, in the days to come.

Members of the Kalimpong District Demand Committee (KDDC), a platform for people demanding a district reached the New Jalpaiguri railway station in numbers to welcome Chhetri in droves. The MLA was forced to halt on route at various places to reach Kalimpong even as supporters and well-wishers offered “khadas” and congratulatory wishes in numbers.

However, today’s welcome to Chhetri, who many believed championed the cause for a district into reality should not be parameter for his acceptance to the general public. The MLA is from Kalimpong and the huge assembly of supporters belonged to the sub-division.

The Kalimpong MLA also leveled allegations of his former party saying they were never sincere towards the statehood demand, “They (GJM) raise the statehood issue for political purpose and are not at all serious over the demand. There is rampant corruption within the GJM leadership,” Chhetri alleged, today.

Chhetri who is yet to join a political outfit after severing ties with GJM addressed the crowd at Mela Ground and announced that a New Year gift awaited the Hills “The Kalimpong district is a Christmas gift.

You (people) will get another in the New Year,” the Kalimpong MLA said, who earlier had already hinted at floating a new political party.

The MLA had said, “There are things that can be taken up and achieved on a political level. Therefore it is pertinent that we float apolitical party so that the problems and issues of the people can betaken up in the right place. We will follow the non-confrontation policy as we will work for the people”.

Chhetri also made it clear that the Gorkhaland demand would not be a priority issue given that he intended to float a secular party. “The nomenclature of our party when announced will not be community based and will be secular in nature. The current status of the Hills is that it lacks development. We will work towards solving this issue first,” he said.

The KDDC that was floated by Chhetri after he left the GJM has been staging dharna in Kalimpong town since the last five days. The dharna includes a 13 point charter of demands that include a separate district. Today the dharna was lifted. “We have called off the dharna because our primary demand for a district has been achieved. However we do have other demands that needs to be fulfilled and we will work to achieve it,” Chhetri said.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri rubbished the allegation saying it was fictitious. “It (allegation) is baseless. Our party has always been sincere with the statehood demand and will remain so. Let him (Chhetri) say what he wants to because the people are with us,” he said, when asked to comment.