The two principal parties in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) — the Anit Thapa-led Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) and the Ajoy Edwards-led Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF) — are approaching the Assembly elections with diametrically opposite strategies.

Thapa's BGPM, which is in control of the GTA as well as the panchayat and municipalities bodies, finalised its names of candidates for the three constituencies of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong almost two months back. The party has started an aggressive campaign across the Darjeeling hills, stressing on regionalism.

It is highlighting that their ally, the Trinamool Congress, left the three seats for the BGPM, "respecting regionalism".

“Our candidates from Kalimpong and Kurseong will file their nominations on April 1, while our Darjeeling candidate will file the nomination on April 2,” said Thapa, the president of the BGPM.

The BGPM has nominated its sitting MLA Ruden Sada Lepcha from Kalimpong, party general secretary Amar Lama from Kurseong and educationist Bijoy Kumar Rai from Darjeeling.

On the other hand, the principal Opposition party in the GTA, the Edwards-led IGJF, is building anticipation regarding its candidates.

Contacted on the party's nominees, Edwards said: “There is still time left.”

The last date of filing nomination for the first phase of the Assembly elections is April 6. The three constituencies will poll on April 23.

With every passing day, curiosity over the IGJF’s candidates is increasing.

The IGJF is tight-lipped on the matter but has started a poster campaign across the hills which only highlights the IGJF’s tagline for the elections, parivartan (change).

Edwards is also calling up people for shramdaan (volunteer labour) to build a bridge in the Ranbull area in Darjeeling. Edwards had played a pivotal role in building a 140-foot-long concrete Gorkhaland Bridge over the Balason river in Darjeeling last year. While villagers had offered free labour, Edwards’s team had chipped with cement and other construction materials.