Out of 318 nominees, 210 to contest as Independents

Source: FB

Amitava Banerjee  |  MP  |4 June 2022 | Darjeeling: Independent candidates, categorised as 'Others', contesting the GTA election is nearly double than the number of candidates affiliated to political parties. 

About 318 candidates have filed their nominations for the 45 seats of the GTA, out of which 210 are Independents/others whereas 108 candidates owe allegiance to political parties. 

The process of filing of nominations for the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) elections, that had commenced on May 27, came to an end on Friday. 

About 318 candidates have filed nominations for the 45 GTA seats in the Darjeeling subdivision; Kurseong and Mirik sub divisions clubbed as Kurseong and the Kalimpong district. 

While 210 are from the "Others (independent)" category, the 108 include 10 from the AITMC; 12 from the CPI(M); 5 from INC; 36 from Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) and 45 from Hamro Party (HP). 

GTA goes to polls on June 26. Interestingly, the BJP and allies (GNLF, CPRM, AIGL) are not contesting the GTA elections. They have dubbed GTA as an obstacle to the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland and have demanded the scrapping of the GTA. 

The GJM, though an ally of the AITMC, had also launched a protest seeking the deferment of GTA elections. Bimal Gurung, the president of the GJM had sat in a 104 hour-long hunger strike demanding that the GTA elections be deferred. They too are not contesting in the GTA elections. 

"The political parties that are not taking part in the GTA elections have propped up Independent candidates. Many have resigned from such parties and filed nominations. They will return to their respective parties after the election process ends. As usual they have engaged in politics of deceit," alleged Anita Thapa, president, BGPM. 

Lopsang Lama, working president, GJM had tendered his resignation from the party on Thursday evening. He filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from Kalimpong on Friday. "If elected, I will raise the demand for the dissolution of the GTA," added Lama, who is the former Deputy Chairman of the GTA. 

Meanwhile, 22 Gram Panchayats, 4 Panchayat Samities and the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad will be going to polls on June 26. There are 9 seats in the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad. There are 66 seats in total in the 4 Panchayat Samities under the Mahakuma (Sub Division.) Under the 4 Panchayat Samities there are 22 Gram Panchayats with a total number of 462 seats. 

On the same day (June 26) the GTA Sabha with 45 seats will also be going to polls. The process of nomination filing commenced on May 27 and ended on June 2nd for the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad, while for the GTA nominations were filed from May 27 till June 3. 

About 1,804 candidates have filed nominations in total, including 1518 for Gram Panchayat election; 245 for Panchayat Samities and 41 candidates for the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad. 

The political parties in the fray in the Panchayat election include AITC, Left Front, Congress, BJP and KPP. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/out-of-318-nominees-210-to-contest-as-independents-480777