Siliguri: Despite the record snowfall in Darjeeling, the political mercury is steadily on the rise with civic polls in the Hill town fast approaching.
In a shift of stand, Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday announced that they will be contesting in 10 wards out of the 32 in Darjeeling.
Incidentally the TMC earlier had announced that they would be contesting in all 32 wards of the Darjeeling Municipality. However, on Monday TMC leader Aroop Biswas, flanked by Gautam Deb announced that TMC will be contesting in 10 seats in Darjeeling.
Incidentally, TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee had recently announced that Aroop Biswas has been given charge of the Darjeeling election and has been asked to hold talks with Hill political outfits. In a press conference held at the party office in Siliguri, Biswas stated: "After deliberation with our district leaders, hill leaders, state leaders and taking consent from party Supremo Mamata Banerjee we have decided to contest from 10 wards in Darjeeling."
When asked whether the TMC has entered into any alliance with Hill political parties, Biswas preferred to sidestep the question iterating that the party would concentrate and contest in these 10 wards (ward numbers 2, 5, 8, 13, 14, 18, 20, 25, 31 and 32.) He stated that armed with development as the main agenda, the party hoped to win all the 10 seats.
Incidentally the hills have been abuzz with the talk that TMC has entered into an alliance with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on a 10 and 22 seat sharing formula.
On the heels of TMC's announcement, Bimal Gurung, the GJM Chief from Darjeeling, announced the names of candidates for 13 wards (3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 17, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29 and 30.) "The remaining we will announce on Tuesday," added Gurung. He too shied away from questions on whether his party had struck an alliance with the TMC. "
If an alliance is required we will have one. We have to keep the interest of the Hills in the fore. Talks are on. If there an alliance we will make it public," stated Gurung, addressing media persons.
However, in ward number 5 both GJM and TMC have fielded candidates. Darjeeling Municipality will go to polls on February 27.