Raju Bista faces ‘go back’ slogan in Darjeeling for unfulfilled Lok Sabha poll promises

EOI CORRESPONDENT, DARJEELING, JULY 6, 2023 : The last day of campaigning for the panchayat elections on Thursday was filled with activities, with the BJP MP of Darjeeling Raju Bista facing slogans of "go back" in the Simulbari area while at Sukhia an independent candidate who had won uncontested joined the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha.

In Bista's visit to Sukna-Panighatta constituency as part of the campaign for panchayat polls for the United Gorkha Alliance, people in large numbers were seen showing his convoy black flags and raising slogans like "Raju Bista go back."

People also shouted: "Where did PPS go? Where did Gorkhaland go? "BJP MLA Neeraj Zimba who was also present at the spot said: "People can protest but the issue of him (Bista) going back does not rise at all. He has been doing good work. They are all doing this as they feel Bista will find out the corruption done in water and road projects along with 100 days' work. The opposition party is behind this by using some miscreants to give them money for it." 

The BJP in its Lok Sabha election manifesto had promised that it was committed to finding a permanent political solution for the hills and granting tribal status to the 11 left out Gorkha communities. The BJP is leading a coalition comprising the BJP, Gorkha National Liberation Front, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Hamro Party, Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists, the CPI(M) and Gorkha Rastriya Nirman Morcha; formed specifically for the two tier panchayat election which is being held after over two decades. 

On the other hand, at Sukhiapokhri the uncontested independent candidate from Ward no 8 - Ghoom Khasmal GP Kishan Singh joined the BGPM. "We had 60uncontested candidates from Kalimpong and Darjeeling district and with one more joining us today, the figure has reached 61,"said BGPM spokesperson Keshav Raj Pokhrel.

"It was the decision of the two samaj that I joined BGPM. It was their joint decision also that I alone contest from that area," said Kishan Singh who joined the BGPM.