'Coalition' of regional parties fizzle out as constituents go separate ways

Darjeeling: The coalition of regional parties in Darjeeling Hills and the exercise to field a consensus candidate fizzled out with the constituents deciding to go their own ways. Even Congress and Left Front have fielded their own candidates.

The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) has decided to form an alliance with the Bimal Gurung faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The coalition will be supporting the BJP candidate from the Darjeeling constituency.

Interestingly, the bigwigs of the Bimal Gurung faction of the GJM, namely Gurung and Roshan Giri, are absconding. In a joint press conference in Delhi on Monday, the GNLF-GJM (Bimal faction) pledged their support to the BJP.

"This has been done in the greater interest of the Gorkhas and to defeat anti-Gorkha forces," stated Niraj Zimba, spokesperson, GNLF. The coalition feels that the BJP alone can fulfill the aspiration of the Gorkhas.

When questioned on the public demand for local candidates for the Darjeeling constituency, Binu Sundas of the GJM (Bimal faction) said: "We had thought of this but had to compromise." The BJP has not yet announced the names of candidates.

When questioned on the GNLF-GJM (Bimal faction) coalition, Binay Tamang, president of the GJM said: "The GNLF does not have any base in the Hills. The leaders of the other party are absconding. How will the coalition matter?"

Meanwhile Shanker Malakar, the sitting MLA of Matigara-Naxalbari, has been fielded by the Congress for the Darjeeling constituency. The name of Saman Pathak was declared by the Left Front on Tuesday as their candidate for Darjeeling.