Panchayat polls in the hills catch the fancy of independent candidates

EOI, DARJEELING, JUNE 21, 2023 : The rural election in the hill region of West Bengal, going to be held after a long gap of more than two decades, has caught the fancy of a large number of independent candidates. It will be a two-tier panchayat election in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration area.

For the gram panchayat and panchayat samity elections in the Darjeeling district, a total of 771 and 211 independent candidates, respectively. are in fray. In Kalimpong, 399 and 123 independent candidates, respectively, will contest in the gram panchayat and panchayat samity election.

Interestingly, in neighbouring Sikkim the last panchayat election that was held under the rule of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha was a partyless one, with all candidates contesting with independent symbols. Polls for the urban local bodies were also partyless. For this, the Sikkim Government had introduced necessary legislative amendments.

After the last date of withdrawal of nominations, a total of 3051 candidates are left in the fray, including those of different of different regional and national political parties. 

 On Wednesday, the district administration issued the official figure for the number of candidates in fray for the July 8 polls.

Darjeeling consists of five blocks namely Darjeeling Pulbazar, Jorebunglow Sukhiapokhari, Kurseong, Rangli Rangliot and Mirik. On the other hand, Kalimpong comprises the fours blocks of Pedong, Gorubathan, Lava and Kalimpong I.

According to official figures, the BJP has fielded 195 and 132 candidates in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, respectively for the gram panchayat election. 

For panchayat samity election, the saffron party has nominated 52 and 37 candidates in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, respectively.

The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, the predominant political party in the hills, has fielded 570 and 273 candidates for the gram panchayat election in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, respectively.

For the PS election, the party has fielded 152and 73 candidates in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, respectively. The Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) have also fielded their candidates but in smaller numbers, understandably.

In total, for the gram panchayat election a total of 2390 candidates (1576 from Darjeeling and 814 from Kalimpong) will face off, while in the panchayat samity election 661 candidates (428 from Darjeeling and 233 from Kalimpong) will try their luck to get the mandate of the rural population.

Darjeeling has a total of 70 gram panchayats with 501 constituencies and five panchayat samities with 156 constituencies consisting of 387,952 voters and Kalimpong has 42 gram panchayats with 260constituencies and four panchayat samities with 76 constituencies and 179,932 electors. 

The BGPM and the Trinamool have an unannounced tie-up while the BJP is leading the coalition comprising the Gorkha National Liberation Front, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Hamro Party and Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists for the rural poll.

Officials of the district administration of Darjeeling and Kalimpong said preparation was in progress for the poll and the counting of results would be on July 11