The Ajoy Edwards-led Hamro Party will change its name following suggestions from the Election Commission of India.

Edwards told The Telegraph on Sunday that the name change would be done after Diwali.

“The Election Commission has told us to change the name as they feel it is very similar to other political parties. We have been told to submit a list of three other names to them,” said Edwards.

Even though the EC has not specified the details, Edwards said that their party leaders believe it is probably pointing at the Hamro Sikkim Party formed by former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia. The party, however, merged with Pawan Chamling’s Sikkim Democratic Front in November 2023.

In the recent Sikkim Assembly elections, Bhaichung lost from Barfung constituency, follong which he quit politics in June this year.

Edwards formed his Hamro Party three years back and immediately won the Darjeeling municipality elections. The party lost control of the civic board due to defection but is the largest Opposition at the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

There has been a buzz in the hills that a new political alignment centring on Edwards is shaping up.

Sources said that several meetings with leaders of other political parties have been held.

“A lot of known political faces will join us after Diwali. These leaders will also be founding members of the new outfit that is shaping up,” said Edwards.

Recently, the tea trade union of the Hamro Party decided to leave the joint forum that was formed to pursue a 20 per cent bonus for tea garden workers.

“We now feel that this coming together of unions is just a façade and that parties are not working in unison,” D.K. Gurung, the president of Hamro Hill Terai Dooars Chai Bagan Shramik Sangh, affiliated to the Hamro Party, had said.