Deep Gazmer, TNN, Jul 13, 2012, DARJEELING: The CPM on Thursday withdrew names of five candidates who had filed nominations for contesting in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) election. With this, the party has dissociated itself from the July 29 polls. It had withdrawn nomination of nine candidates earlier.
Welcoming CPM's decision to stay out of GTA election, GJM chief Bimal Gurung said, "We thank the CPM for withdrawing from the GTA poll. They have kept the peace and stability in mind. This is commendable."
However, the tense relation between the ruling party and the GJM got strained further on Thursday with the Morcha chief expressing his displeasure over Trinamool Congress fielding candidates for the forthcoming election.
Collecting the certificate of election from the returning officer on Thursday, Gurung told media, "As I said earlier, we will win all the 45 seats. But, the important thing to remember is the ignominy of defeat the Trinamool will have to face. How will Mamataji take this (defeat)?"
Seventeen candidates of Trinamool Congress have filed nominations for contesting in GTA polls.
Taking a dig at the state government, Gurung pointed out that it had violated a mutual agreement. "It was the state government that had asked us to run the GTA. Though the central government did not interfere, the state government has fielded candidates," he said.
On the election agenda, the GJM leader said the party would focus on development and creation of job opportunities in the Hills. "There is lot of work that needs to be done in the Hills. However, we will give priority to creating jobs in the Hills," said Gurung.
Asked about the way the GJM would conduct the GTA Sabha, Gurung replied, "We will not take everything for granted. We will form a committee to visit the grassroot areas and survey and share the problems of the people. Accordingly, we will work to eradicate the problems to the best of our ability".
In another development, the GJM president expelled the party membership of Sanchabir Subba, a rebel candidate from the Gidabling-Nimbong constituency in Kalimpong.
GTA polls: Top GJM leaders get walkover
IE, Jul 12 2012: The president of Gorkha Janmukti Morch (GJM), Bimal Gurung, his wife Asha Gurung, who is the chief of the outfits’ women wing, are all set to be declared elected unopposed in the Gorkha Territotial Authority (GTA) polls as other contestants withdrew their nomination papers on Wednesday.
Two more senior GJM leaders — general secretary Roshan Giri and assistant general secretary Binay Tamang — are also set to be elected unopposed.
On Wednesday, 31 candidates withdrew their nominations. The last day for withdrawal is Thursday. With this, GJM candidates are set to be elected unopposed in at least 22 of the 45 seats. On Tuesday, which was the last day for filing nominations, the GJM candidates were set to be elected unopposed in 13 seats.
Eight of the 13 CPM candidates withdrew from the polls on Wednesday, while one Trinamool Congress nominee has decided not to contest the July 29 elections.
The nomination paper of the sole candidate pitted against Giri was rejected, paving his way for election.
In Darjeeling, seven candidates withdrew their nominations, while 21 candidates did the same in Kurseong. In Kalimpong, three candidates withdrew their nomination papers. Nominations of 17 other independents were rejected during scrutiny due to error in their documents.
“This is our victory. We have won even before we contested the election and it reveals that people want us. The candidates are scared of people of the hills and that is why they have withdrawn their nominations,” said Giri.
Meanwhile, there are reports of intimidation and threat to the candidates who had filed their nomination against GJM candidates. Even though the police have not recieved any written complaint about intimidation, they have started inquiring into two cases in Sukhia Pokhri and Sadar police station areas based on verbal complaints, said Kunal Agarwal, SP of Darjeeling district.
AIGL, which has opted to stay out of the fray, has moved Calcutta High Court saying there was no reservation in the election notification for SCs, STs, OBCs and women.
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