The Darjeeling Gymkhana Club, which was established in 1909, managed to keep politics out of its gates during its executive committee elections held on Friday.

Hamro Party president Ajoy Edwards, who was a member of the previous executive committee, lost. Ten members of a 12-member team that was perceived as being close to Anit Thapa — Edwards’s political rival and president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha and chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) — also lost.

On the other hand, 12 from a 14-strong team of mostly apolitical members won. The club has 500-odd members, half of whom stay outside Darjeeling, mostly in Calcutta.

The election to the 14-member executive committee had been largely free of political interference during the last election, after years of such meddling.

Politics, however, threatened to make a comeback this time. “During the fag end of the campaign it became clear that people close to Anit Thapa had formed a team of 12 members and were urging club members to vote for them as a unit,” said a club member.

Another list featuring 14 members was also circulated by the mostly apolitical group, seeking votes. “These 14 included apolitical people like the current chairman, Jamling Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, secretary Pintoo Agarawal and Edwards,” the club member said.

From the list of 14, 12 members were elected. Only two members from the team of 12 perceived to be close to Thapa won.

A total of 29 members were in the fray. “This time members were not influenced by political parties. They voted for people they thought could deliver. The majority of the members are from the previous committee,” said a member.

The winners included chairman Jamling and secretary Agarawal.

Many in the Gymkhana said the club had been dictated by the political party in power since 2008. Elections were deferred in 2008 and in 2016 due to direct political interference, said a source.

Asked if he regretted contesting a “relatively” small election considering he was the head of the largest Opposition party in the Darjeeling hills, Edwards disagreed.

“When I contested the last election (two years ago) my intention was to break the political interference. This time I have formed a party and it is true I could not give time as a member of the executive committee. I accept the mandate of the club members,” Edwards told The Telegraph.

Party switch

Two GTA Sabha members of the Hamro Party, Pramoskar Blone and Bhupendra Chhetri, joined Thapa’s party in Darjeeling on Saturday.

Edwards had earlier bid farewell to the two leaders, stating that they were set to join the BGPM.

“We were bade farewell from the party without even giving us a chance to clarify things. We, too, will not accept his unilateral decisions,” said Blone advising Edwards to be careful with his words and actions.

Blone, who was the vice-president of the Hamro Party, was given the same designation in the BGPM.