Leaders of the Bimal Gurung faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha have openly started speaking against the BJP’s “lack of will” to solve Darjeeling issues, the trend prompting some observers to suggest that the relationship between the allies is getting strained and there is a likelihood of the hill party charting its own course.
Gurung has been supporting the BJP since 2009, helping the saffron party win three consecutive Lok Sabha polls from Darjeeling. During last year’s Darjeeling Assembly byelection, Gurung had supported GNLF leader Neeraj Zimba who had contested on a BJP ticket.
However, local leaders of the Gurung faction started speaking against the BJP and many believe they would not “dare” making public statements against the saffron camp without direction from top leaders, most of whom are on the run.
Suman Rai, the president of the Mirik subdivisional committee of the Gurung faction, said the BJP was only making promises.
“They (BJP) are only making promises but we have now started to feel that they do not have will (to solve the hill problems). We now feel they (BJP) will not do anything for us,” said Rai, adding that there was “still time for them (BJP) to act.”
The Mirik Morcha leader said the hill people were “not vote casting machines” and the BJP had “not done anything for the Gorkhas” despite electing three MPs.
The local leaders of the Gurung camp have even come out with a list of the BJP’s failures. They highlighted Bengal BJP leaders’ statement that the permanent political solution was not Gorkhaland. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance on granting tribal status to 11 communities but the Centre’s failure to deliver on it and the BJP’s silence during the Gorkhaland agitation in 2017 are also being highlighted by the Gurung camp.
“When the BJP had no MPs in Bengal, Bimal Gurung helped them win a seat in the state. Now, the BJP has 18 MPs and its Bengal leaders are talking differently,” said Rai.
Modi’s failure to deliver on the promise of granting tribal status to hill communities is discussed regularly by Morcha leaders.Rai has also been asking about the fate of hundreds of Morcha activists who are on the run, including Gurung and Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha.
“They (BJP) talked about helping them return (home), nothing has been done,” said Rai.
Gurung has a number of criminal cases against him in connection with the violent 2017 statehood agitation and unless he gets legal reprieve, his return to the hills would be difficult.
“A close analysis of statements by second-rung Morcha leaders and their activities —the Gurung faction is slowly mobilising with leaders coming out in public — suggest Gurung is having a re-look at the alliance with the BJP,” said a political analyst.
Gurung, the analyst feels, can influence results in six to seven Assembly seats in north Bengal.
“If he goes alone and manages to win three hill Assembly seats and influence other constituencies, he will be in a win-win situation with the government that comes to power in Bengal... He may be keeping his options open,” said the analyst.
Morcha leader Rai was, however, soft on Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista and said he was doing “more than what he can in his capacity” by raising issues in Parliament.
The Mirik Morcha leader said Bimal Gurung’s support base in the hills was intact and that “they would stand by whatever decision our party president (Gurung) takes”.