The BJP’s sweep of three Assembly seats within the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area in the Darjeeling hills, coupled with the saffron party’s victory in Bengal, has raised fresh questions over the future of GTA and its impact on Darjeeling’s political landscape.
Bharat Chettri, former Indian hockey team captain and Olympian, defeated Ruden Sada Lepcha of the Anit Thapa-led Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) on a BJP ticket from Kalimpong. The BJP’s Sonam Lama defeated the BGPM’s general secretary Amar Lama from Kurseong. Noman Rai, the youth president of Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, who contested on a BJP ticket from Darjeeling, also defeated the BGPM’s Bijoy Kumar Rai.
Ajoy Edwards, chief convener of the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF), came third in the Darjeeling seat. So did his party candidates in Kurseong and Kalimpong.
As hill results unfolded, the immediate talk across the hills was over the GTA.
Raju Bista, the Darjeeling BJP MP, said the BJP government would scrap the GTA if voted to power in Bengal.
“This win is for a permanent political solution, for the GTA to be scrapped,” said Bista on counting day. “People’s aspirations will be fulfilled, there will be development, there will be a corruption-free government and the BJP government will move forward according to the wishes of people.”
Union home minister Amit Shah recently said the Centre had been forced to appoint an interlocutor for the Darjeeling issue because the Mamata Banerjee government was reluctant to attend tripartite meetings called by the Centre. Shah promised to withdraw police cases filed by Mamata’s government against Gorkhaland proponents by July 31.
Anit Thapa, an ally of the Trinamool Congress in the Darjeeling hills, helms the GTA after winning the 2022 polls. His party also controls most panchayats across the GTA area.
“The BJP is now in power both at the Centre and the state and can decide on the hill body. It would be interesting to know what kind of permanent political solution the BJP would now come up with for the hills,” said an observer.
Any decision on the GTA would affect Thapa’s politics across Darjeeling. During these Assembly polls, Thapa’s bitter rivals, Bimal Gurung and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), led by Mann Ghisingh, supported the BJP. “Gurung and Ghisingh will want to emerge as key political forces in the hills with the BJP’s support,” said an observer.
Many feel the BJP will now look to strengthen its grassroots base across the hills. Elections to the hill municipalities of Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik are due.