Hills Tense Over May 14 Programmes: BGPM Calls For Peace Rally as GJM Plans Lal Kothi Gherao

KalimNews, May 8, 2026, Kalimpong: The political atmosphere in the Darjeeling hills has intensified following announcements from major hill parties regarding competing programmes scheduled for May 14. While the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has called for a protest involving the gherao of Lal Kothi, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) headquarters, the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) has responded by announcing a peace rally on the same day to maintain calm in the region.

BGPM president Anit Thapa, addressing party leaders and workers in Darjeeling on Thursday, said the party would not allow any initiative that could disturb peace in the hills. He confirmed that a peace march will be held on May 14 starting from Darjeeling Railway Station. Emphasising stability, he said that although he respects the recent electoral verdict in favour of the BJP, any programme that risks creating unrest would not be permitted to escalate tensions.

Thapa stated that peace in the hills has been achieved after significant struggle and must not be compromised again. He also noted that people were becoming anxious due to fears of a repeat of past unrest and stressed that, as a responsible political leader, it was his duty to prevent any such situation.

Following the recently concluded elections, the BGPM failed to secure seats in all three hill constituencies, while BJP candidates won from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong. Despite the defeat, Thapa accepted the mandate and said the people had voted for change, which must be respected. He thanked party workers, supporters, and voters, and urged them to remain strong and committed to the party’s mission of peace and development in the hills.

Reaffirming his political stance, Thapa said politics always involves both victory and defeat and stressed the need for introspection and improvement in working methods. He also appealed for restraint, urging all sides to avoid provocative language and maintain peace and dignity in political discourse.

On the issue of the GTA, Thapa responded to BJP MP Raju Bista’s earlier statement about dissolving the hill body, saying that if the GTA is to be replaced, a stronger and more effective alternative must be created. He expressed openness to such a development, stating that elections should be held under any new arrangement and that his party would participate.

He also highlighted that with the Model Code of Conduct now lifted, the GTA administration has resumed full functioning. Thapa said he had already held meetings with executive directors and officials to expedite pending administrative works and ensure faster implementation of stalled projects.

On the GJM’s allegations of corruption within the GTA, Thapa countered that any investigation should begin from the time of its formation in 2011. He added that the current administration follows transparent online systems, and instead of agitation, grievances should be addressed through proper government channels.

Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after GJM president Bimal Gurung called on supporters to gather at Chowrasta and proceed to Lal Kothi for the proposed gherao, alleging widespread corruption within the GTA. Gurung said the protest would highlight issues related to governance and alleged irregularities in development works.

Opposing both programmes, Indian Gorkha Janashakti Front (IGJF) chief convenor Ajoy Edwards urged authorities not to grant permission for either the gherao or the peace rally, warning that such events could disturb the fragile calm in the hills. He appealed to the Darjeeling Superintendent of Police and district administration to intervene, stating that legal routes should be used instead of street protests.

Edwards further warned that if both programmes proceed, he may be compelled to step in and mobilise his supporters to maintain order. He expressed concern that people were already fearful of a possible return to past periods of unrest and stressed that the mandate of the people was for development and peace, not confrontation.

He also emphasized that the hills should not be turned into a space of political rivalry or conflict, warning that post-election peace must be preserved at all costs.

In a related development, the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) temporarily shut down the Rohini toll plaza, alleging misuse of funds and illegal toll collection by the current administration. However, the plaza was later reopened following local intervention, with demands raised for the rehabilitation of workers employed there.

As political activities intensify ahead of May 14, leaders from different parties continue to issue appeals ranging from protest mobilisation to peace advocacy, reflecting the growing tension in the Darjeeling hills. 

In the recent Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with its alliance partners including the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) and others, emerged ahead in the three Hill Assembly constituencies of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. 

Across all three constituencies combined, the BJP-led alliance secured 2,21,244 votes, accounting for 42.13 per cent of the total vote share, while the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) received 1,76,716 votes or 33.65 per cent, and the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF) secured 1,03,954 votes or 19.8 per cent. 

The BJP-led alliance thus maintained an overall lead of 44,528 votes, translating into a margin of approximately 8.48 percentage points over the BGPM. 

In Darjeeling constituency, the BJP alliance secured 62,076 votes (35.72 per cent), narrowly ahead of the BGPM’s 56,019 votes (32.23 per cent), while the IGJF polled 48,635 votes (27.98 per cent). 

In Kurseong, the BJP alliance obtained 74,878 votes (41.18 per cent), compared to BGPM’s 57,871 votes (31.83 per cent) and IGJF’s 41,088 votes (22.6 per cent), giving the BJP alliance a lead of 17,007 votes. 

In Kalimpong, the BJP alliance registered its strongest performance with 84,290 votes, nearly half the total votes cast at 49.74 per cent, while the BGPM secured 62,826 votes (37.07 per cent) and the IGJF received 14,231 votes (8.4 per cent). The BJP alliance led the BGPM in Kalimpong by 21,464 votes.

All 3 Hill ACs combined

• BJP + alliance parties: 221,244 votes (42.13%)
• BGPM: 176,716 votes (33.65%)
• IGJF: 103,954 votes (19.8%)

Constituency-wise breakdown

Darjeeling

• BJP alliance: 62,076 (35.72%)
• BGPM: 56,019 (32.23%)
• IGJF: 48,635 (27.98%)

Kurseong

• BJP alliance: 74,878 (41.18%)
• BGPM: 57,871 (31.83%)
• IGJF: 41,088 (22.6%)

Kalimpong

• BJP alliance: 84,290 (49.74%) — nearly half the votes
• BGPM: 62,826 (37.07%)
• IGJF: 14,231 (8.4%)