GNLF, CPRM appeal to people not to cast vote in GTA poll today

EOI | DARJEELING | JUNE 25 , 2022 : On Saturday, on the eve of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration election, the Gorkha National Liberation Front and the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists have appealed to people not to cast their votes on Sunday. The CPRM and the GNLF are alliance partners of the BJP and have not fielded candidates for the GTA polls, taking place after a decade. 

Senior leader of CPRM Arun Ghatani on Saturday, while advocating for a separate state, said by enforcing the GTA election, the West Bengal government was trying to prove that everything was okay in the hills; which in reality was not the case. 

"We are against the GTA because only Gorkhaland will fulfil our aspirations. The state government is holding the election at a time when the Centre has started talks for a permanent political solution," he said. The CPRM leader said GTA was an obstacle to the demand for a separate state and called the people to refrain from voting. 

"We appeal to the people not to cast this vote as it is against the demand of Gorkhaland. If maximum votes are cast in the election tomorrow, the State Government will throw the demand for Gorkhaland in the dustbin,” said Ghatani. 

The GNLF had filed a petition seeking stay on the election which the Calcutta High Court on Friday turned down. However, the court ruled the primary GNLF write petition challenging the constitutionality of the GTA would be heard after the election. The GNLF was, however, subtle in their appeal to the voters to not cast their votes. "We as a party do not enforce ourselves on the people. 

However, the hill citizens are against the GTA and know what they must do, tomorrow. Moreover, there is no option of NOTA for this election," said GNLF central committee member Y Lama. Polling personnel moved out to their respective polling stations from the three distribution centres in the GTA area. 

According to the Darjeeling district administration, in the 45 constituencies of the GTA area, including the Kalimpong district, a total of 922 polling stations had been set up, with approximately 4,700 polling personnel deployed. 

There are five critical and 101 vulnerable polling stations. A record 277 candidates are in the fray to win the votes of 700,326 voters of the GTA area.