Gurung 'tense' over Kalimpong and Mirik

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, April 19: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung today told cadres that he was having tension over municipal elections in Kalimpong and Mirik but expressed confidence that the party would form civic boards in the two towns.

Polls would be held in 84 wards of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik municipalities on May 14. In 2012, the Morcha had won uncontested all seats, except five in Mirik. The five wards of Mirik were ultimately won by the Morcha.

While announcing the Morcha candidates for Kurseong in the party office at Singmari here today, Gurung said: "I am not worried about Kurseong. Party leaders have done a good job there. Even in Darjeeling, things are fine. But I am tensed over Kalimpong and Mirik. In Kalimpong, you give ticket to one person and another one, who are best friends in the same locality, is heartbroken."

In the Assembly elections last year, the Jana Andolan Party had led in 17 of the 23 wards in Kalimpong though the Morcha had won the Assembly seat. In Mirik, Mamata Banerjee's announcement that she would start a survey to look at distributing land rights to the residents gave steam to the Trinamul Congress.

The Morcha chief said the party would still form boards in Kalimpong and Mirik.

"I have been staying in Kalimpong for the past one-and-a-half months. Things are much better there. Even in the last Assembly elections, all political parties, the state government and development boards came together to defeat us but the will of the people was different. This time, too, we will win a minimum of 17 to 18 seats in Kalimpong. The Morcha will form the board in Mirik also."

The Morcha announced candidates for 19 of 20 seats in Kurseong and 11 of 32 wards in Darjeeling. In Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong, the Morcha has denied tickets to most of the councillors of the previous boards.

The party is yet to name the candidates for nine wards in Mirik.