Siliguri: After the All India Mech Samaj, an association of Mech community people, the Nagesia Kishan Adivasi Samaj, an association of adivasi community people and Kamta Rajbanshi Parishad, an organisation consisting of Kamptapuri people have decided to support the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the upcoming Lok Sabha (LS) election, after being betrayed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Members of both these organisations announced this at a news conference at Siliguri Journalist Club on Friday.
“BJP had promised us that they would develop our community but they did not keep their promises in these past 15 years. We supported BJP thrice in Lok Sabha elections but this time we will support Trinamool Congress,” said Sunil Nagesia, Advisor of Nagesia Kishan Adivasi Samaj. They have announced their support for Gopal Lama, Trinamool Congress-nominated candidate for the Darjeeling LS constituency. This constituency has about 35,000 voters from their community. Previously, the community had supported the BJP in three elections.
The community had demanded different facilities for the adivasi community people from the Central government but the MP has not done anything yet. “Every year before the elections, they came to us and urged us to vote, but they did not meet with us after the election. The Chief Minister has launched different schemes for our betterment, therefore, we took the decision,” Nagesia further added. Meanwhile, Rahul Barman, president of Kamta Rajbanshi parishad said: “We have numerous demands for the betterment of our community, which only the state government can fulfill. We are inspired by the work of our Chief Minister. Therefore, we have extended our support to the TMC.” The community will support all the TMC candidates of every LS constituency of North Bengal. About 35 per cent of voters belong to the Kamtapur community.
In this day’s news conference, the Kamta Rajbanshi Parishad has raised several demands, including development of Rajbanshipally, improving education and health services, easing the process of getting Schedule Caste certificates for Kamtapuri community people and development in the sports sector.
They also demanded government financial aid for higher education for the Kamtapuri people.