Mamata strikes a chord with GJM- Trinamool out of GTA polls

The Hindu

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee at a mammoth rally

TNN | Jul 22, 2012: KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday used the platform of the July 21 rally to showcase her achievements in Darjeeling, but she did not have much to offer in concrete terms after spending more than a year in power.

A tribute to her statesmanship in Darjeeling came from Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), whose representative Harka Bahadur Chhetri promised that his party would not resume its separatist ways as long as Mamata continued to steer the state and consider development of the hills as her first priority. In return, the chief minister promised to give GJM a walkover in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration polls by withdrawing 17 Trinamool candidates, who had filed their nominations.

Dr. H.B.Chhetri, MLA Kalimpong  and spokesperson Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Photo: BNA

The GJM representatives were specially invited for the first time to the July 21 rally, which has become an annual event for Trinamool Congress. It was not clear if Chhetri was speaking on the spur of the moment or with mandate from his party's central committee. But what he promised was quite significant. "As long as Mamata Banerjee is the chief minister and Trinamool Congress continues to run the government, we will be together," Chhetri said, addressing the meeting. "It is time for development in the hills, we will work together and reach our destination together."

Acknowledging Mamata's sincere efforts to bring development in hills, Chhetri said this was the first time that a chief minister was visiting the hills regularly. "She has come to Darjeeling eight times, her ministers are also visiting the hills regularly. Within a day of the earthquake in the hills, she visited Darjeeling. She also came after the bridge collapse at Bijanbari and spent a day in the hospital supervising treatment of the injured," Chhetri said.

Responding to GJM's gesture, Mamata announced her decision to withdraw from the GTA polls 17 Trinamool candidates. "On the day of the election, all our candidates will be present in Darjeeling to welcome the elected GJM representatives. I will myself be present during the swearing-in of the new council on August 4."

Explaining the reason for Trinamool's move to file nominations first and then withdrawing from the contest, she said GJM had already won majority of the seats in GTA - 28 out of 45 - uncontested and contest in rest of the seats did not mean much. "We had decided to contest for the sake of democracy. Trinamool is in politics for overall development of the state, not for the sake of doing politics. We don't want confrontation. We want to improve our relations with the GJM."In her speech in front of lakhs of Trinamool supporters, Mamata also highlighted the return of peace in Jangalmahal, pointing out that residents there were getting rice at a subsidized rate. Unwilling farmers in Singur would also get rice at Rs 2 a kg till their land was returned. "The land is already in the possession of the state and we will return them as soon as the court case is over," she promised. The chief minister claimed that the industrial situation in the state had improved, investments worth Rs 1 lakh crore were lined up. Also, in the first year of office, her government could create 6,00,000 additional jobs.
Trinamool out of GTA polls

The HinduWest Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee addressing a rally organised on the party's Martyr's Day in Kolkata on Saturday. Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

TH, KOLKATA, July 21, 2012: Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee announced here on Saturday that her party would withdraw its candidates from the elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in Darjeeling district, a move which will make sure that the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) sweeps all the seats uncontested in the proposed autonomous body. “Giving priority to the interests of the people of Bengal, we have taken a decision to withdraw our candidates who are contesting the GTA elections,” she said at a rally in the city.Describing it as a “big” decision, she said she didn’t want any fight between the GJM and her party. Ms. Banerjee’s announcement came just minutes after senior GJM leader Harka Bhahadur Chhetri claimed that as long as she was the Chief Minister, the hills would stay together with the State.
The GJM is already set to take control of the GTA, with 28 of its candidates contesting unopposed in the GTA, which has 45 seats. The Trinamool had filed nominations to contest only 17 seats. Since the last date for withdrawal of candidature was July 13, its candidates cannot technically opt out.