Subba finds support in two villages - Rivals fail to put polling agents

sanchabir subba

Rajeev Ravidas, TT, Nimbong (Kalimpong), July 29: Sanchabir Subba has found supporters in two villages in his constituency but whether their votes will carry him to the GTA Sabha is too early to say.

The Telegraph visited Barbot, Nimbong and Gitdabling during the course of the polling today and found that Sanchabir Subba, who is contesting as an Independent against Morcha vice-president Kalyan Dewan, enjoys significant support in Borbut and Nimbong.

In these two villages, people openly said they were in favour of Subba, while the opinion was tilted in Dewan’s favour in Gitdabling. The people of the three villages constitute only a fraction of the electorate in the Gitdabling-Nimbong seat that is spread over two blocks.

“We consider ourselves Morcha supporters but our hearts are with Sanchabir. We all took part in the agitation under his leadership. He is one of our own and understands our problems. We are confident that he will take up our issues with the government sincerely once he is elected,” said Gamit Lepcha, a resident of Barbot.

Lepcha and other women in the village were huddled together on the premises of the Barbot Primary School, where voting happened without incident.

A few kilometres up the road at Nimbong Primary School, the scene was similar. People came in a trickle despite a consistent drizzle.

Seated at the entrance to the school were the supporters of Subba and the Morcha. Both the groups expressed confidence that their candidates would win, but Subba’s supporters were more vocal.

Asked why Subba was popular in the area, Saran Tamang, a youth, said it was because of his simplicity.

“He gels with all types of people, rich and poor. He doesn’t differentiate. He knows our problems. He is a simple man,” Saran said.

Gitdabling, about 20km from Nimbong, was a little different though.

On the way leading up to the polling station at the Gitdabling Junior Basic School, there was no sign of any Subba supporter.

Morcha supporters were there, though in small numbers.

A man, who claimed he was a Morcha worker, said most of the 884 votes in the area would go to the party.

Asked why, he said: “Being Morcha workers, we couldn’t have voted against the party candidate. We have problems here such as lack of basic health facilities and roads. We are confident that our party will address these issues after the elections.”

In the nine GTA constituencies in the subdivision that went to the polls, 81,186 of the total 1,09,643 votes were cast. “The polling percentage is 74.04,” said L.N. Sherpa, the returning officer and the Kalimpong subdivisional officer.