A new political party centring around the “Gorkha unity” theme willbe formed on December 22 by dissolving the Ajoy Edwards-led Hamro Party, the principal Opposition in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
The new party, which will primarily evolve from Edwards’s party, will include prominent political faces who were earlier with the Jan Andolan Party (JAP), the TMC, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, the Gorkha National Liberation Front, the BJP and also the ruling Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM).
“We will launch the new political platform from Darjeeling on December 22. The platform, which will have a new name, a new party flag, will work on the long-pending issues of Gorkhas,” said Edwards.
The Hamro Party president stressed the word “platform” to drive home a message that the new political party is a collection of leaders associated with various political parties from the hills.
“Even members of apolitical Gorkha Gaurav Sansthan will join this platform,” said Edwards.
Observers maintain that this cross-section of hill leadership can take on Anit Thapa’s BGPM politically. Thapa’s party, which is an ally of the TMC in the hills, has been silent on the Gorkhaland issue and is only focused on the development plank.
“These leaders sense a vacuum in Darjeeling politics,” said an observer who said that the statehood demand was still the overwhelming sentiment in the Darjeeling hills.
Sources said that the groundwork to start this new political alignment had started from July-end this year.
“Many leaders who were earlier with Bimal Gurung but did not join Anit Thapa when he broke off to form BGPM will join the new party,” said a source.
This new alignment will largely work around Edwards, sources said.
The decision to dissolve the Hamro Party and form a new entity was further pushed following a suggestion to the party by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to change its name.
Hamro Party was formed three years ago and had won the Darjeeling municipality within three months of its formation. It lost control of the board due to defection. It has five elected members in the GTA.
“The Election Commission 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,” Edwards had earlier told this newspaper.
Political parties need to be registered with the EC.
Edwards had also said that his party leaders believed that the EC probably had the Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP) in mind