Anit Thapa, the president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) and a key rival to the BJP in the hills, has apparently issued gag orders to his leaders from speaking about the party’s Lok Sabha candidate.

Sources in the party said that Thapa has issued a written message in the party’s WhatsApp group cautioning leaders from talking about the party's Lok Sabha candidate.

“This was done after senior party leaders started mentioning various names in various forums, which a section in the party felt was an indirect attempt to pitch for their candidates,” said a source.

BGPM sources had earlier told The Telegraph that Thapa selected Gopal Lama, a former WBCS officer, and forwarded the same to his ally Trinamul Congress for final approval.

“However, of late, the party leaders have been circulating their own names. This despite many in the party being well aware that Lama’s name has been forwarded to Trinamul, even though the decision of the Lok Sabha candidate has not been officially announced,” said a source.

The names that are being raised as possible BGPM candidates are Amar Lama, the party’s general secretary, Ruden Sada Lepcha, the party’s Kalimpong MLA, and Vikram Rai, an assistant professor of mass communication from St Joseph’s College (North Point).

“It seems that many people who want to be the party’s Lok Sabha candidate had not been able to express their interest clearly to Thapa earlier. Now that Gopal Lama’s name has been forwarded, it seems that many are trying to lobby for their own names or those of their aides,” said another party source.

Sources said that BGPM leaders from the plains are also now pitching for a doctor from Siliguri.

“Leaders in the plains are circulating the name of a well-known Nepali doctor from Siliguri,” said a source.

Dr P.D. Bhutia, however, had told this newspaper a few days ago that he had not been contacted to be a candidate.

On the other hand, Gopal Lama had confirmed to this newspaper earlier that he had been approached by Thapa to be the party’s Lok Sabha candidate from the Darjeeling seat.

Some in the BGPM have also been stating that if their candidate is not accepted by Trinamul, the hill party should go alone in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat.

Thapa in the WhatsApp message to his party leaders has stated that any “statement without the party president’s consent is just speculation".

“We are a disciplined party. The issue of Lok Sabha candidates is a sensitive issue,” the message reads. Thapa also stated that an act of indiscipline would invite disciplinary action.

A source said: “Our party president is expected to return to Darjeeling tomorrow from Calcutta. We expect things to be clearer once he returns.”