Swaraj Thapa rubbishes rumours of contesting Lok Sabha polls

PRADIP LOHAGUN 

Kalimpong : Swaraj Thapa, senior editor with the Indian Express, was present at a programme organised by the Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha during which he rubbished rumours about him contesting in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He said although he has been working along with the GJM, he has no intention to contest elections. According to Thapa, the people’s mandate should go in favour of that party which is capable of taking the issue of statehood to Parliament. “My name was raised in 2009 as a candidate for the Lok Sabha elections and the same has happened now. Although I am working with the GJM, I have no interest to contest elections,” he said. He also dismissed rumours of Mahendra P Lama announcing he would be contesting at the polls. “Dr. Lama had told me he would be contesting as an independent candidate,” said Thapa. “Doing so will be very difficult. I was shocked when he told me about his decision as I have witnessed several elections from where I am today. 

It will be very difficult for Dr. Lama to contest without any organisation or political machinery to support him.” He further said, “There will be around 800 MPs in Parliament. It will be difficult for Dr. Lama to raise the issue of Gorkhaland without any political machinery to support him.” Meanwhile, Thapa refrained to comment on the recent failure of the GJM’s statehood agitation. “We cannot say the strategy for the agitation was totally wrong. Nothing happened here when new states were formed in 2000, which is unfortunate. This time when Telangana was announced, people here grew impatient. The GJM chief had also asked for my suggestions. I have noticed the people of the hills want immediate results from an agitation, which is impossible.” Thapa added he has been trying to nationalise the Gorkhaland issue in Delhi through a non-political group called Darjeeling Foundation.