In a significant development, the Hill-based political party the Hamro Party (HP) has become a part of INDIA alliance and HP president Ajoy Edwards joined hands with the Congress alliance to take on both the BJP and the TMC in Darjeeling Lok Sabha polls.
Interestingly, Dr Munish Tamang, who was elected as national president of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh in 2022, today joined the Congress today.
Sources said Dr Tamang, associated with Motilal Nehru College, Delhi University, as a senior faculty, could be the Congress candidate from Darjeeling LS constituency.
Notably, the Congress was in search of a strong candidate to field against both the BJP and the TMC from Darjeeling LS seat. The Congress decided to defer nomination of its candidate as the BJP was busy in nominating either the sitting MP Raju Bista or the former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla for the seat.
Finally, the BJP has nominated Raju Bista for Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat for the second time breaking the tradition.
Significantly, as the Hill-based political party GNLF (Gorkha National Liberation Front) led Mann Ghishing is with the NDA, the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) led by Anit Thapa is supporting the Trinamul Congress, the Hamro Party, led by Ajoy Edwards joined hands with the INDIA as an ally.
Notably, West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had visited Darjeeling Hills and held a meeting with Gorkha leaders recently. A Gorkha leader Binoy Tamang, who was with the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) led by Bimal Gurung and then had to join the Trinamul Congress, has joined the Congress and he is functioning as state general secretary of WBPCC in the Hills.
At present, Mr Gurung has not yet cleared his political stand ahead of Darjeeling LS polls.
According to sources, the Congress is going to contest Darjeeling LS polls showcasing a few issues, including Schedule Tribe status for left out Gorkha communities and the Sixth Schedule for Gorkhas in its manifesto.
Mr Edwards, who was one of the think tanks of the GNLF, said, “The BJP has done nothing for Gorkhas in the last 15 years. Where is the Prime Minister’s statement ‘Gorkha’s dream is my dream’ on the long standing issue of Gorkhaland. As a result, we decide to support the Congress led INDIA alliance to beat the BJP for national interest.”