Narbula listens to a supporter on one of his campaigns. A Telegraph picture

Darjeeling, May 7: Dawa Narbula is a man in a hurry.

Ever since, Gorkha National Democratic Front’s chief Subash Ghisingh unexpectedly decided to shower his blessings upon him, the Darjeeling Congress candidate is fighting against time to meet the people of his constituency.

It is six in the morning and a bunch of people has gathered outside Narbula’s residence on Kutchery road.

Two minutes later, the Congress leader appears at the door and greets the group.

“Yes, yes, you are Dugal Lepcha, I remember you. Don’t worry, I will personally come and visit your area. You don’t have to worry,” Narbula nods at one of them, putting a hand over his mouth to stifle a yawn.

After some talk and tea, the men go away and Narbula steps in for a quick bath.

He re-emerges in white kurta pajama. “I do not have time. I plan to visit every nook and corner of my constituency, which is easily one of the most scattered seats in the state,” he says, climbing onto a black Wagon-R.

Apart from visiting Rangpo, along the Bengal-Sikkim border, Narbula has to attend another political rally at three in the afternoon at Islampur.

The Assembly segment is a part of North Dinajpur district but comes under the Darjeeling constituency.

At Ghoom, the car stops. A small crowd of Congress supporters and local residents who had been waiting for his arrival approaches the vehicle.

Narbula gives a patient hearing to some of their problems and then explains why the CPM should be given the vote.

“I want to know the problems of all my people so that I can serve them well,” he says, confidently.

“I want to go to areas like Kumai, Gairibas and Jhaldhaka (which is along the Indo-Bhutan border) also but time is running away,” he adds.

Posters, showing a smiling face of Narbula, now share space with those of Ghisingh. The GNLF posters have been hastily put up after its leader stumped everyone by choosing the Congress’ Narbula over CPM’s Mani Thapa.

The sultan of the hills, as he is called by the local residents of the Hills, has for the past three general election boycotted the polls — a decision that helped the CPM retain the Darjeeling seat easily for the past few years.

The Congress also has the backing of the People’s Democratic Front, a five-party coalition of which the Congress is also an ally.

The next stop is Teesta Bazaar where a significantly large gathering stands chanting “the leader of poor people has come”.

As the “leader of the poor” steps out of the car, he is garlanded with flowers and the khada (traditional Tibetan scarf).

Despite the hectic schedule, Narbula insists on addressing the Teesta bazaar crowd. He however, refrains from making any personal attacks.

“Our fight is with the CPM in the state and the BJP in the Centre and looking into the present situation everyone is supporting us. The PDF has announced its support in my favour and only recently the GNLF has also decided to back the Congress,” he points to the crowd.

He moves on to knock every household door in this small town, remembering to wave at the young and also chat with the old.

“I have come here for your blessings now so that I can win the elections. Once I win, I promise to visit your place again and meet intellectuals, social workers and common people and discuss ways to solve the problems. I will be your leader and I will solve problems to the best of my ability,” the campaigner tells his audience.

Supporters urge him to hop into their vehicle, a Maruti Omni, and youths bring out a motorbike rally to Rangpo.

“I want to meet the people since no leader has tried to meet them in the past. I know the main problem in the area is demand for land patta and I will work out a solution for that,” Narbula explains.

At Rangpo, he does the same one-to-one campaign. Lunch is a delayed affair.

“He is really working hard for this and we have been with him since the start of the campaign. We have almost had to skip lunch everyday, sometimes eating late in the afternoon,” says one of his supporters.

The day’s brief is almost done, except for the meeting at Islampur.

While heading home, the “leader of the poor” points out that “It was necessary to meet all those people there since nothing is better than talking to the individual voter”.

“As an MP I will not neglect any of the seven Assembly constituencies. I have to help the underprivileged for they have been deprived for long and I want to at least bring a smile on their face,” he adds, settling down in the front seat and waving at the slogan-shouting boys who soon diminish and disappear.

The dirt-covered Wagon R whooshes down the winding hill roads, racing against time to reach its last destination.