Signalling an end to violence in Darjeeling hills, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Saturday announced its decision to contest the Gorkha Territorial Administration elections, scheduled for July 29.
The party’s core committee, which met in Darjeeling said it would contest all the 45 seats without striking any alliance. The GJM is keen to have the sun as its election symbol, it was learnt.
It will be decided later whether party president Bimal Gurung and general secretary Roshan Giri will contest the polls.
Ashok Bhattacharya, former North Bengal Minister and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, welcoming the decision, said the GJM was now co-operating with the West Bengal government. “We will not put any stumbling blocks on the path of peace… we want peace in the hills,” he said.
Indications that the GJM will participate in the democratic process was evident at the meeting held here on Thursday between the top leaders and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee despite fissures in the bonhomie between the party and the government over addition of certain areas in the Terai- Dooars plans in the jurisdictional area.
Against the GJM’s demand for addition of 396 mouzas, the Justice (retired) Shyamal Sen Committee recommended only five. Now, another fact-verification committee has been set up by the government to receive the GJM’s views on this matter.
Ms. Banerjee, while replying to the Home Department budget at the Legislative Assembly on Friday, said the GJM had said it had some statistics on the issue (of inclusion of more areas in the plains) for which a fact-verification committee was set up.
Initially incensed over the report, the GJM had begun exploring its options on re-launching the agitation. It was the peak tourist season in the hills and the GJM abandoned its plans, choosing the democratic path instead. Mr. Gurung had earlier threatened to quit politics if the GJM does not win all 45 seats.
