DARJEELING: For the first time in Darjeeling's history, a constituency that has through either political machinations or real support sent a unanimously-elected representative to Delhi, it's a fierce three-cornered fight.
Facing off against Ahluwalia is TMC's Bhaichung Bhutia, an icon in this football-crazy region, and Mahendra P Lama, a former professor at JNU, who has turned his social group Darjeeling Dooars United Development Federation into a political outfit.
There's no clear front-runner . GJM boss Bimal Gurung is bitter with TMC for jailing most of his senior colleagues after the Telangana go-ahead revived the Gorkhaland state demand. He and his wife are in a legal tangle in connection with the murder of Madan Tamang, a popular Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League leader. Gurung will go all-out in his war against TMC.
"Forget Prof Lama," says TMC spokesman Binny Sharma. "It's Mamata versus the Morcha." Bhaichung's been drawing fawning crowds. That he is from Sikkim and speaks Nepali doesn't hurt. "Out of 14 lakh votes - 6 in the hills, 8 in the plains - we expect a chunk to vote for him in the Terai," Sharma says.
But from Bagdogra to Siliguri, Sukna to Kurseong, the buzz around Lama is unmistakable. The man who calls himself the 'bhumi putra' among 'aliens' says his call to connect the hills with the plains has found resonance . "The conscious lot among Muslims, Bengalis, Rajbangshis, Adivasis, Marwaris have responded to me," he says. "We talk about gyan ki kheti, a harvest of knowledge. They understand."
One man, though, has muddled up calculations. GNLF supremo Subhash Ghising, 78, who Gurung sent packing from the hills. Having lived on the margins of the mountains for years, he returned on March 19. When his wife died, he couldn't even bring her body here for burial. A Buddhist, Ghising looked for a lama for her last rites, but got none.
"Everyone was so scared," says a former GNLF leader. "He'll not forget that." Ghising will announce his support for a candidate on March 30 and that will be crucial.
Source: timesofindia
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| No clear front-runner in Darjeeling Lok Sabha Election race |
There's no clear front-runner . GJM boss Bimal Gurung is bitter with TMC for jailing most of his senior colleagues after the Telangana go-ahead revived the Gorkhaland state demand. He and his wife are in a legal tangle in connection with the murder of Madan Tamang, a popular Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League leader. Gurung will go all-out in his war against TMC.
"Forget Prof Lama," says TMC spokesman Binny Sharma. "It's Mamata versus the Morcha." Bhaichung's been drawing fawning crowds. That he is from Sikkim and speaks Nepali doesn't hurt. "Out of 14 lakh votes - 6 in the hills, 8 in the plains - we expect a chunk to vote for him in the Terai," Sharma says.
But from Bagdogra to Siliguri, Sukna to Kurseong, the buzz around Lama is unmistakable. The man who calls himself the 'bhumi putra' among 'aliens' says his call to connect the hills with the plains has found resonance . "The conscious lot among Muslims, Bengalis, Rajbangshis, Adivasis, Marwaris have responded to me," he says. "We talk about gyan ki kheti, a harvest of knowledge. They understand."
One man, though, has muddled up calculations. GNLF supremo Subhash Ghising, 78, who Gurung sent packing from the hills. Having lived on the margins of the mountains for years, he returned on March 19. When his wife died, he couldn't even bring her body here for burial. A Buddhist, Ghising looked for a lama for her last rites, but got none.
"Everyone was so scared," says a former GNLF leader. "He'll not forget that." Ghising will announce his support for a candidate on March 30 and that will be crucial.
Source: timesofindia
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