GTA: GJMM to contest poll-Morcha to field candidates in all seats

SNS, DARJEELING/SILIGURI, 30 JUNE: The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha has finally decided to contest the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) election, though its president Bimal Gurung had earlier threatened to boycott the poll and announced a series of agitations over the Justice Shyamal Sen committee recommending the inclusion of only five plains mouzas in the GTA's jurisdiction.

The GJMM took the decision to contest the GTA election at its core committee meeting in Darjeeling today. The GJMM will go it alone in the poll and contest all 45 seats.

The core committee members, during the meeting, requested the GJMM president Bimal Gurung to contest the election himself. Mr Gurung said that he would take a decision on this later.

The GJMM adopted a resolution to suspend all its agitation plans and bring its relay hunger strike at Chowrasta to an end today. It will be convening a series of meeting from tomorrow onwards to decide on the nomination of candidates to contest the election.

“As the development of the Hills is the first duty of the party, our chief along with other leaders have decided to contest the election and suspend the agitation programmes,” said GJMM general secretary Roshan Giri adding: “We have already written to the state’s home department through the Darjeeling district magistrate demanding that the symbol of ‘Surya’ (sun) should be given to the party.”

The decision was made after the Morcha’s core committee members along with the John Barla-led Terai-Dooars Joint Action Committee held a lengthy meeting today on the outskirts of Darjeeling.

Mr Giri added: “We have sent a petition to the fact verification committee to look into the matter of additional mouzas to be included under the GTA's jurisdiction.”

Senior leaders of the AIGL and the CPI-M said their parties would take the decision on participation in the GTA election in a couple of days. However, the participation of the GNLF in the election is out of the question, as party president Subash Ghising has challenged the constitutional legitimacy of the GTA Act in Calcutta High Court.

Ridiculing the GJMM decision to participate in the election as another manifestation of the its 'hypocritical' statehood-posturing, AIGL vice-president Laxman Pradhan said his party would take the decision on the election in a couple of days. “Let us first see whether the Trinamul Congress takes part in the election. We will finalise our strategy after the ruling party makes its stand clear,” he said.

Senior CPI-M leader and former state minister, Asok Bhattacharya said his party would participate provided the state administration ensures an environment for a free and fair election.