Mamata Banerjee has brushed aside the proposal of Trinamul hill leaders to contest coming hill elections alone in a clear indication that the Trinamul chief is comfortable with the present political matrix of the hills.
Addressing a party organisation meeting in Calcutta on Tuesday, Mamata pulled up the party’s Darjeeling (hills) chairperson Shanta Chhetri, and another leader Binay Tamang for wanting to go alone in future hill elections.
“Shanta, you cannot say that we will go alone in Darjeeling election. This is the party’s decision…I will tell you; I want to work with everybody. Now Darjeeling is peaceful, I am so happy. Darjeeling started the election process, I am so happy,” said Mamata.
During the recent Darjeeling municipality elections, Trinamul joined hands with Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. Trinamul won two of the 10 wards that it contested. The Morcha won three from the 22 wards it contested.
Anit Thapa’s Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha won nine seats. Though the BGPM decided to go alone in the elections, they are also allies of the Trinamul in the hills.
The Darjeeling election was won by Ajoy Edwards's newly floated Hamro Party that bagged 18 seats. Mamata, however, had expressed joy after the election results stating she shared cordial ties with all hill parties.
However, hill Trinamul leaders submitted a report to the party's Darjeeling (plains) chairman Alok Chakraborty last Saturday suggesting the party should go alone in future elections. Elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and panchayats are due. The civic bodies of Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik will also complete their tenure next month.
“We have won two (wards 5 and 18) and lost the rest by narrow margins. In fact, we lost one seat (ward 8) by a margin of three votes and altogether, our candidates could secure 38 per cent of the votes in all these 10 seats. This proves that people in the hills are siding with Trinamul for the array of development work carried out by Mamata Banerjee. Considering the trend of support, we want the party to field candidates in all seats at the upcoming elections and opt for a post-poll alliance with like-minded political forces,” Tamang had said on Saturday while submitting their report to the party’s state committee.
On Tuesday, Mamata in Calcutta not only made her intention of choosing status quo clear but also added that she was interested in conducting the GTA polls. The GTA is run by a government appointed administrator since 2017.
“Next, we will go for GTA election also but before that I will sit will all. I will sit and try and adjust with so many parties. We want to see that Darjeeling smiles,” said Mamata.
The party chief also issued a stern warning to hill Trinamul leaders. “From my party no one will give any statement in isolation…which will harm the party,” said Mamata.
“Her statement is a clear indication that she is happy with the present political dynamics in the hills. She must be content that the BJP-GNLF has been decimated in these elections,” said a hill observer.
Mamata’s decision to hold the GTA election could also put the BJP-GNLF in a spot of bother as both these parties are against the GTA with the GNLF even having filed a case against the hill body at the Calcutta High Court.
“It is a difficult situation for the BJP-GNLF alliance as many believe that hill politics is controlled and directed by the party that controls the GTA,” the observer said.
