A considerable number of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leaders is putting pressure on their chief Bimal Gurung for fielding a GJM candidate in the Darjeeling lok sabha constituency in 2014. The Darjeeling-based political party has never contested a parliamentary elections ever since it was formed on October 7, 2000 and now heavyweight party leaders want to fight the lok sabha seat to have a son of the soil to represent them in the parliament.
GJM sources told ET on Friday that they were considering two names including a Delhi-based journalist as their candidate in the Darjeeling lok sabha seat next year. "The journalist who is currently based in Delhi, is the son of soil of Darjeeling and is well-connected with the political circles in the capital. We have not yet taken a final decision regarding contesting the lok sabha elections, but many of us want the journalist to fight the polls on a GJM ticket,"" a senior GJM leader told ET on condition of anonymity. He also hinted that the name of GJM youth activist Benoy Tamang was also under consideration for the polls.
In 2009, Jaswant Singh of the BJP had won the Darjeeling lok sabha with support from the GJM. GJM insiders have made it clear that ruling Trinamool Congress will certainly try to persuade them for not contesting the lok sabha polls as Mamata Banerjee is very keen to contest the seat in 2014. ""Already we are getting fillers from local Trinamool Congress leaders that the chief minister is very keen to contest Darjeeling lok sabha with our support. But majority of GJM leaders now want to field our own candidate in 2014,"" the GJM leader pointed out.
Even if GJM fields it's candidate, the party will certainly find it difficult to win the Darjeeling seat.""The GJM has lost it's popularity in Darjeeling after they withdrew their agitation demanding a Gorkhaland. Bimal Gurung is now hobnobbing with the chief minister Mamata Banerjee even though hundreds of his supporters are still facing police action. A considerable chunk of Darjeeling population is unhappy with Gurung. Naturally, it will not be very easy for Gurung to win the seat,""said Raju Pradhan, chairman of Bharatiya Gorkha Parishad, an all-India organisation of the Gorkhas.
Apart from key political parties like the BJP, Congress and CPIM, Darjeeling will have some influential independent candidates in 2014. One of them is Mahendra P.Lama, founding vice-chancellor of Sikkim University and former pro vice-chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Lama was born in Darjeeling and has decided to contest 2014 lok sabha polls from his home town.
Meanwhile, GJM president Bimal Gurung met West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday and will take oath as the chairman of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) again on December 26 at a function in the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata. T he GJM chief had resigned from the GTA post after his party had launched indefinite agitation in Darjeeling in June this year demanding a separate state for the Gorkhas.
economictimes
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| GJM to field own candidate in the Darjeeling lok sabha constituency in 2014 |
In 2009, Jaswant Singh of the BJP had won the Darjeeling lok sabha with support from the GJM. GJM insiders have made it clear that ruling Trinamool Congress will certainly try to persuade them for not contesting the lok sabha polls as Mamata Banerjee is very keen to contest the seat in 2014. ""Already we are getting fillers from local Trinamool Congress leaders that the chief minister is very keen to contest Darjeeling lok sabha with our support. But majority of GJM leaders now want to field our own candidate in 2014,"" the GJM leader pointed out.
Even if GJM fields it's candidate, the party will certainly find it difficult to win the Darjeeling seat.""The GJM has lost it's popularity in Darjeeling after they withdrew their agitation demanding a Gorkhaland. Bimal Gurung is now hobnobbing with the chief minister Mamata Banerjee even though hundreds of his supporters are still facing police action. A considerable chunk of Darjeeling population is unhappy with Gurung. Naturally, it will not be very easy for Gurung to win the seat,""said Raju Pradhan, chairman of Bharatiya Gorkha Parishad, an all-India organisation of the Gorkhas.
Apart from key political parties like the BJP, Congress and CPIM, Darjeeling will have some influential independent candidates in 2014. One of them is Mahendra P.Lama, founding vice-chancellor of Sikkim University and former pro vice-chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Lama was born in Darjeeling and has decided to contest 2014 lok sabha polls from his home town.
Meanwhile, GJM president Bimal Gurung met West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday and will take oath as the chairman of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) again on December 26 at a function in the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata. T he GJM chief had resigned from the GTA post after his party had launched indefinite agitation in Darjeeling in June this year demanding a separate state for the Gorkhas.
economictimes
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