BJP's ally upset over party's Hill nominees

Darjeeling: After BJP declared candidates on the three Hill seats, there was simmering discontent among the alliance partners over seat-sharing. The BJP has fielded Niraj Zimba from Darjeeling; BP Bajgain from Kurseong and Subha Pradhan from Kalimpong.

The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF)—one of its allies— had banked on the BJP to allow GNLF candidates to take part in the fray backed by the BJP. In Darjeeling, the GNLF became vocal demanding that Darjeeling Branch Committee president Ajoy Edward be allowed to contest.

Speculations were rife that Edward would contest as an Independent candidate backed by the GNLF. The local BJP leaders and supporters were not happy with the choice of candidates in Kurseong and Kalimpong also. Bajgain and Pradhan had both crossed over to BJP recently from GJM (Bimal.)

Meanwhile, GNLF president Maan Ghisingh tried to quell the fast-spreading resentment among the ranks and file in Darjeeling, banking on assurances by the BJP of a Permanent Political Solution (PPS) in the Hills.

Ghising, who was camping in Delhi with the task of "not leaving an inch of political space" (read not leaving a single seat to alliance partner BJP), on his return to the Hills turned volte face and declared that the GNLF would be supporting BJP on all the three Hill seats.

"We have to rise above the party for the greater cause. Amit Shah will be in Darjeeling Hills soon. He will apprise the people of BJP's plans for the PPS and what it will be. This is our last fight. We should not see who the candidates are but should concentrate on the cause," preached Ghising at a central and core committee meeting in Darjeeling on Friday. However political observers opined that the very existence of GNLF could be at stake in case the performance of the party in the Assembly elections did not turn out as desired.