DARJEELING: A day ahead of Anit Thapa floating a new political party, key leaders of the Anit Thapa-led faction from Garidhura, Marionbari Tea Estate areas of Kurseong switched over to Trinamool Congress.
Incidentally, Thapa will be floating a new party from Gymkhana Club at 11 am on Thursday. Addressing the media at the joining programme, LB Rai, chairman of Darjeeling-Kalimpong district committee (Hills) of the TMC stated: "TMC is fast emerging as the major power of the Hills. People have lost faith in the Hill political outfits, riddled with factionalism. Many are joining the TMC. Very soon we will organise a similar joining programme for BJP also. The Hill populace has finally realised that only TMC can bring about good governance and development to the Hills."
Among the leaders, who switched over, are Rajesh Chettri, president of Marionbari unit of the tea garden union owing allegiance to Thapa; Krishna Chettri, president, Garidhura unit; Niraj Rumba, organisation secretary of the youth wing of the Garidhura unit along with Amrit Kawar, vice-president of the BJP Kurseong Mandal.
In another development, the Bharati Tamang faction of the All India Gorkha League took out an effigy of BJP MP from Darjeeling Raju Bista and paraded it around town asking questions about the fate of the tripartite talks. "BJP has been misleading the people of the Hills since 2009. This time MP Raju Bista had assured that tripartite talks between the Centre, State and political parties will be held on the issue of a permanent political solution for the Hills by the first week of September. He had also stated that the invitation letter to attend talks would be sent by mid August. Both have not materialised till now. We feel that these are nothing but blatant lies to fool the hill populace," alleged Vikram Adi Rai, working president, AIGL.
Following the effigy rally, Kalyan Dewan of the BJP lodged an FIR against Rai and AIGL general secretary SP Sharma. "They took out an effigy of the MP with a garland of shoes. This act is inappropriate and we have lodged an FIR. The MP is working hard in Delhi to arrange the talks," added Dewan. "We will hold protest rallies every week till tripartite talks are held. They have to live up to their commitment," added SP Sharma.