The Hamro Party (HP), the principal Opposition force in the Darjeeling hills, became a part of the INDIA alliance, while Munish Tamang, the national president of pan-India Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP), joined the Congress in Delhi on Thursday.

Sources said the Congress was planning to field Tamang, a native of Kalimpong and a professor at the Delhi University, in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency.

Ajoy Edwards, the chief of the HP, said: “The Hamro Party has joined the INDIA alliance because the BJP did not deliver on its promises in 15 years. The Hamro Party will support any candidate the Congress nominates from Darjeeling.”

Tamang is emerging as a strong contender for the Congress ticket in Darjeeling. “The fact that Tamang joined the Congress in the presence of Hamro Party leaders is a strong indicator that Edwards’s party is also rooting for him,” said a source.

On Friday, Binay Tamang, the general secretary of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) and also “in-charge of the hills”, said he would oppose Munish’s candidature.

“I will not support Munish Tamang or his counterpart Ajoy Edwards in this election,” said Binay adding that district and state committees had not been taken into confidence regarding the day’s development.

Munish has been active with the apolitical BGP for the past two decades and has frequently raised the Gorkhas’ issues wherever the community has a significant presence.

Munish said he would have to relinquish his post at the Parisangh.

“I will now have to relinquish my position as the national president of Parisangh. I will formally present my request to the national committee of my organisation,” said Munish. “I will continue to serve Parisangh and be its devoted member.”

Sources said efforts were on to bring Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
on board to support Munish’s candidature. “Nothing has been finalised,” said a source.

Edwards has said there is an effort to form a front that steers clear of both the BJP and the Trinamul Congress.