Tribal status pending, BJP allies in hills feel pressure over unmet promises of 2019 Lok Sabha polls

The BJP in its 2019 Lok Sabha election had promised a tribal status to 11 hill communities and a 'permanent political solution (PPS).' The PPS was not defined even though most in the hills interpreted it as statehood. No headway was made in both

Raju Bista, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, B.P. Bajgain: Sourced by the Telegraph

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, 06.02.24 : With the Parliament sitting for the last time before the next Lok Sabha elections, the BJP allies in the hills are facing the heat of unmet promises.

The BJP in its 2019 Lok Sabha election had promised a tribal status to 11 hill communities and a “permanent political solution (PPS).” The PPS was not defined even though most in the hills interpreted it as statehood. No headway was made in both.

“The BJP has not yet shown any intent to fulfill our promises. We do not see any major development during this Parliament session, too. It will be difficult for us to go to the public emptyhanded,” said a leader of the alliance who did not want to be named.

The Parliament has been convened for an interim budget session. The interim budget is a temporary financial plan during an election year aimed at meeting the immediate financial needs before a new government is formed.

“There was no continuity of talks (related to the BJP's promises made to the hill people in 2019). Every time we met senior ministers (of the BJP government at the Centre), they would acknowledge our issues but it seems they would forget it the moment we left the meeting venue,” said the leader who has been part of a hill delegation to the Centre, sounding upset.

On Monday, BJP MLA from Kurseong B.P. Bajgain said. “If the government grants tribal status to 11 communities, without leaving any of the communities, I will not contest against the BJP candidate as I had announced earlier."

The Kurseong MLA also posted a video to this effect on social media.

Speaking to this newspaper, Bajgain said: “In the 1941 Census, the 11 communities were classified as ‘tribals’. We just want the Centre to relist us back to our tribal status."

The Kurseong MLA had earlier said that he would contest against the official BJP candidate if either sitting BJP MP Raju Bista or former diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla got BJP tickets, and termed them “outsiders.”

On Monday, the leader, however, changed his stand slightly, but it was evident that he wanted to put pressure on the BJP.

Among the alliance partners, only the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) was clear in its stand that it would have to back the BJP whether the party delivers on its 2019 poll promises now or not.

"We can't burn bridges right away. We have little option but to continue raising our demand, even if it is before the next central government,” said Neeraj Zimba, secretary-general, GNLF, and Darjeeling MLA on a BJP ticket.

Courtesy & source- The Telegraph