Plains pocket key to Darjeeling... MAMATA BANKS ON LEAD IN CHOPRA

AVIJIT SINHA AND KOUSIK SEN, TT, 11 Apr 2019, Siliguri/ Raiganj: Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the key to winning the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat was a lead from Chopra, an Assembly segment in the plains that falls under the parliamentary constituency.Addressing a public meeting in Chopra, Mamata urged residents of the North Dinajpur pocket to vote Trinamul and give the party its first Darjeeling seat victory. In 2014, Chopra was the only Assembly segment where Trinamul had a lead. Its candidate Bhaichung Bhutia got more votes in Chopra than S.S.Ahluwalia, the BJP MP who raced to victory by two lakh votes riding leads in other segments.“ We need a lead from Chopra to win the Darjeeling seat. People here should not vote the Congress or the CPM as it would not serve the purpose….it is Trinamul that will form the government at the Centre and for that, we need to win all 42 seats of our state, ”the chief minister said, appearing to suggest that her party would team up with allies for power in Delhi.

Later on Wednesday, Mamata headed to Darjeeling where she campaigned for Amar Singh Rai, the Trinamul candidate for the Darjeeling seat.Political analysts said a“ sudden change in the political scenario ” in the hills posed fresh challenges for Trinamul, forcing to it focus on pockets in the plains.

Until a month back, the BJP hardly organised any political activities in the hills. Mamata cemented ties with the Binay Tamang faction of the Gorkha Jamukti Morcha. Later, though, the BJP won the support of the Bimal Gurung faction of the Morcha, besides getting the GNLF and the CPRM on board.

"These allies, who have support bases in hills, bolstered the confidence of the BJP about its performance and the candidate (Raju Bista) started campaigning through the region. This left Trinamul concerned as there are apprehensions that the BJP might manage to revive its support in the hill Assembly segments. That is why, the party is now trying to secure leads in the Assembly constituencies in the plains, including Chopra," said an analyst.

Addressing a gathering of 15,000-odd in Darjeeling, Mamata pitched Rai, a former Darjeeling MLA, as a "son of the soil" who would work for the people.

"You had voted Ahluwalia but have you ever seen your MP? BJP leaders come here from Delhi ahead of elections and after winning, they leave. That is why we have fielded a bhoomiputra (son of the soil) who is based in Darjeeling and will be here to work for you. We want you to elect him...the people of Chopra have assured me a lead," the Trinamul chief said.

During her current leg of campaign, this was the second meeting that she has held for Rai. In another couple of days, she is expected to speak in at least three more meetings, both in hills and the plains.

Such focus on Darjeeling ­ in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar, she has held three meetings ­shows Trinamul's resolve to win the seat this time, said observers.

"It seems that Mamata Banerjee will hold meetings in five of seven Assembly segments which are under Darjeeling seat. In the neighbouring districts, she had held two or three meetings so far. This shows the party's desperation for Darjeeling seat," an observer said.