The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha has decided to organise a public meeting at Mungpoo, the native place of its president Anit Thapa, to mark the BGPM’s foundation day on September 9.

The celebration comes at a time when political temperatures are on the rise in the hills in the run-up to the Assembly election.

“The meeting is significant as the party has started mobilising support for the Assembly elections. The BGPM has started weighing names of candidates for the three hill Assembly seats of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong,” said a BGPM insider.

Mungpoo is about 30km from Darjeeling.

A series of political programmes is being held across the hills, not just by the BGPM but also by other political parties.

Thapa on Tuesday attended a programme at Ranbul-Dhoteria near Darjeeling, where 180 families joined the BGPM after leaving the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF) and other parties.

“I might not get votes as there is a narrative against the Bengal government. However, if we don’t join hands with the Bengal government, how will development take place? How will our regional politics be safeguarded?” asked Thapa, who added that he would continue to work with the Bengal government.

The BGPM is an ally of the Trinamool Congress in the hills and since its formation in 2021, it has won elections to both the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha and most rural bodies.

The IGJF, led by Ajoy Edwards, claimed on Tuesday that supporters from the BGPM had joined the party in Darjeeling.

“Supporters from BGPM, under the leadership of Arjun Daju, joined IGJF today at P.Koti. Alongside them, enthusiastic youths from Kalimpong also came forward to be part of our movement. I welcome them all with open arms,” said Edwards through his verified Facebook account.

Earlier in the day, Edwards had written to Thapa seeking a GTA Sabha meeting.

Edwards says the GTA Sabha convened only four times in the past three years.

According to the GTA Act, the GTA Sabha has to be convened every three months.

In his letter, Edwards also demanded immediate relief for workers of the closed tea gardens of Kaley Valley, Pandam and Singtom and a discussion on leasing out GTA properties.