Debutant Hamro Party bags Darjeeling civic body, BJP-GNLF alliance scores a duck

Darjeeling: Three-month- old Hamro Party deseated political heavyweights in the civic polls to bag the Darjeeling Municipality. The BJP-GNLF alliance failed to win even a single seat. The same held true for North Bengal with the BJP failing to bag a single municipality out of the 19 that had gone to polls. TMC bagged 18 municipalities in North Bengal.

Hamro Party (HP,) that had officially come into existence on November 25, 2021, bagged 18 seats out of the 32. However, HP President and Chairman face Ajoy Edwards who had secured 275 votes was defeated by GJM candidate Gyanay Singh by 5 votes in Ward 22.

Out of the 32, Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha bagged 9 seats, Trinamool Congress 2 (the party had contested in 10 wards) and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) bagged 3 seats. Both BJP and GNLF drew blanks. Interestingly BJP had won the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections from the Darjeeling constituency.

Edwards who had parted ways with the GNLF to float the Hamro Party waved off any chances of by-elections to accommodate him as Chairman.

"Years of apathy and fear have broken free. The civic poll has demonstrated the power of the collective conscience and sheer will of the people" declared Edwards. Commenting on his own defeat Edward's stated "We all ran for candidacy to help steer our Hills on to a new path. The Chair was never the goal, the message was. This has been achieved."

Even Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lauded the restoration of democracy in the Hills. "I am very happy that vote process has started in Darjeeling and democracy restored. We too have won two seats. We will hold GTA and Panchayat elections soon. The civic polls was held smoothly so we can safely hold other elections," stated Banerjee.

TMC, BGPM and GJM have assured Hamro Party of all cooperation in restoring

the lost glory of the Queen of the hills.