Boost for Seperate Gorkhaland demand as GJM joins NDA

Darjeeling : The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is part and parcel of the National Democratic Alliance, senior Bharitiya Janata Party leader S.S. Ahluwalia who was recently elected from the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat said on Wednesday. The decision of the BJP to include GJM in the NDA which has come to power at the Centre with an overwhelming majority, not only comes as a welcome step to the political outfit but will have implications in the State’s politics where the BJP is all set to play a larger role. GJM president Bimal Gurung on his Facebook page said that that the hill party is now part of the 29 parties representing NDA. “The GJM delegation will also meet prominent NDA leaders in the days to come including Narendra Modi and apprise him about Gorkhaland and the political situation in Darjeeling hills,” he said. Senior GJM leaders have also expressed hope that a solution to the Gorkhaland issue now may be in sight. The GJM had supported the BJP in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls but the party was not part of the NDA then. “The GJM could not have asked for anything more. We have an MP elected with our support from Darjeeling and a government at Centre of which the GJM has become part of,” senior GJM leader and MLA Harka Bahadur Chettri said. Mr. Chettri said that the inclusion of the GJM in NDA is not only recognition of the party but also people of the Darjeeling hills. “This is our best chances of raising our issues after all these years of independence,” Mr Chettri said. 

Made for each other 

Commenting on the development Mr. Ahluwalia told this correspondent that the BJP and GJM are "made for each other and the alliance will have positive and constructive implications on the politics in Bengal". The GJM has three MLAs in the State Assembly and significant support base in the Dooars region. An analysis of the Lok Sabha results in the State points out that the BJP which at present does not have any seats in the Assembly got highest votes in 19 Assembly seats. Despite the silver lining in the alliance there is also a risk as the GJM’s demand of a separate State of Gorkhaland does not have many takers in the plains. In fact, certain sections within the State level leadership of the BJP are not keen to get identified with the bifurcation of the State. In the Lok Sabha polls that concluded recently, the Trinamool Congress tried to rake up the issue and accused the BJP of trying to divide of the State. Trinamool Congress chairperson and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had vehemently opposed the demand for a separate State of Gorkhaland. In fact, political analyst believe that the rhetoric of dividing the State turned out to be the reason for the Trinamool Congress sweeping the polls in north Bengal except in the Darjeeling seat.