Bimal Gurung says he had turned down proposal to contest from Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat

Asks Raju Bista to voice in Parliament issues of Gorkha community 

YAWAN GURUNG, EOI, MIRIK, APRIL 1, 2024 : Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung said in Mirik on Monday his supporters had preferred to see him as the LokSabha candidate from Darjeeling as a symbol of public grievances in the hills against the BJP for not having fulfilled its promises and for the extreme torture inflicted on the people of the hills during the Gorkhaland agitation of 2017.“But as my aim is to have only one common candidate from the Darjeeling hills, I rejected the proposal made by my supporters,” Gurung said. 

Besides, I should not do selfish politics. I have sacrificed myself for my community. People of my community have placed their trust on me for their existence and identity. I should not misuse that trust and confidence. ”He said he had considered the idea of a 'Third Front' as a strong alternative. 

“Although there were very strong and capable leaders in it, their personal ambitions would have stood in the way of choosing a candidate. That was a threat to our case. The candidate who is not fighting with others has a greater chance of winning. Undermining the unity of the community will be fatal to our demand.

”Gurung recounted that in 2020, after his return from exile for three years, he announced in Kolkata that the GJM would support in the LokSabha election of 2024the candidate who would carry the issue of the community.

“Many people doubted me at that time. They had wondered how Bimal Gurung, who had hundreds of cases against him, could go against the state and take a decision. They did not try to understand me at that time. I had an obligation to make my 5,000 displaced youths return home safely.

”Explaining his decision to extend support to BJP nominee Raju Bista for the Darjeeling LokSabha seat, Gurung said there were several rounds of discussions and consultations and it was decided that it would be better to be with the power that could fulfil the demands. “While the Centre has said the issue of Gorkhaland is a central issue, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J. P. Nadda  have promised to solve our issue as soon as possible. Accordingly, we have decided to support the BJP candidate Raju Bista.

In 2019,when the community was in a crisis, we sent Raju Bista as our representatives when our own people were afraid to contest in the election. It is also my duty to respect the massive public support he received at that time. He has raised our issue in Parliament many times. As we were forced out of the coalition in2020, there was no major force to put pressure on the BJP,” Gurung said. 

“We believe that with our cooperation and future strategy, Raju Bista will definitely overcome our issue. I appeal to our children who are working in hills, the Terai, the Dooars and abroad to vote for Raju Bista by participating in the polls on April 26 2024. 

Best wishes to Brother Raju Bista. I also want to handover to him the burden of taking up our issue in Parliament with diligence on behalf of the people.