Reacting to today’s developments in Hill politics, Darjeeling’s BJP MP Raju Bista said Mr Gurung and his leaders must have their own understanding and compulsions for negotiating their safe return to West Bengal.

“However, I feel that the elections are still a long way away, and I am sure we will witness many other political developments,” he said.

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“BJP is the only party that is committed towards resolving the political issues concerning Darjeeling Hills, Terai, and Dooars region. I request our people to have faith in the BJP national leadership. I can assure you all that irrespective of the ever-changing political scenarios, BJP will fulfill the promises we have made,” Mr Bista, who is also the spokesperson of the party, said.

“I assure you all that BJP will fulfill these commitments, and together with all of your help and support we will ensure that TMC is uprooted from entire West Bengal,” he added.

Proves how Gurung misled people: Anit Thapa

The leader of the other faction of the Morcha, Anit Thapa, said that today’s development had showed how Mr Gurung had misled the people.

“If he had understood this earlier, there would not have been many martyrs, while many would not have gone to jail. When we understood this, we were labelled as betrayers of Gorkhaland. At the end, he is taking his decision for his personal safety and security, so what does that make him now?” he said.

Asked if they would work together, Mr Thapa said, “We cannot work with his principles, as we are against things like vandalism.”

“We want peace to remain in the hills like these past few years. Politics will come and go and we will move forward with our principles,” he added.

On the other hand, top leaders of the Gorkha National Liberation Front could not be contacted for comment, while party leader Sandeep Limbu did not want to comment on the development.

Bound to happen, says Asok Bhattacharya

In Siliguri, veteran CPIM leader and MLA from Siliguri, Asok Bhattacharya, said that whatever happened was “destiny.”

“We had apprehended such development. It has finally unmasked Mamata Banerjee. She used Maoist leader Kishan ji and then killed him. In fact, Mamata used them for her party. She used Chhatradhar Mahato in Jungle Mahal and he is still under her clutches. She even used the KLO (Kamtapur Liberation Organisation) in North Bengal and leaders of other outfits and then finally they, including Bangshibadan and others, are with her. Significantly, BJP had also used them. So there is a tug of war between the BJP and the TMC that continues. Bimal Gurung’s decision to return to Mamata Banerjee’s camp is not at all a credit, but simply an example of blackmail politics,” he said.

‘Calculative move’

An observer of Hill politics, on the other hand, said that Mr Gurung has taken a calculative step after waiting for three years for the BJP to do something, but nothing was delivered.

“His version of supporting Mamata Banerjee is for his win-win situation. Even today, 50 percent of the people in the Hills, in the tea gardens, villages, Kalimpong areas are waiting for Gurung, as they thought he was loyal towards Gorkhaland, but today’s move to join hands with Didi may split this percent of people into two groups-one supporting him and the other leaving him. The former group may take it sympathetically as his strategy to enter the Hills and rework on the Gorkhaland demand,” the observer said. “He is still considered the people’s leader, but we need to wait and watch,” the observer added.

‘Bista will gain’

Another political observer, however, said that there was no pro-Bimal Gurung sentiment in the Hills, the Terai and the Dooars, but “anti-Mamata feelings.”

“Moreover, the common Nepali-speaking population has come to know that the frequent Gorkhaland hype is a mere tool to gain political and economic dividends for the benefit of a chosen few,” he said.

“The ultimate gainer of the Mamata-Bimal tacit understanding will be Darjeeling MP Raju Bista. It was a calculated move of the BJP and very interestingly, Anit Thapa and his team is all set to go with the BJP in the future,” the observer confidently said.