The launch of Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF), the political party led by Ajoy Edwards is being jeered by his political opponents in a manner never seen before in hill politics.

Leading the charge is Neeraj Zimba, the Darjeeling MLA who is secretary-general of Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) but who won the Assembly election on a
BJP ticket.

Zimba posted a video on social media where he is seen cutting a cake and saying: “Whose cake is this? Oh, there is bread inside and the icing is only on the outside to resemble a cake.”

Zimba has not used any name but it is obvious that he is mocking Edwards for floating a new party largely based on the foundation of his earlier Hamro Party dissolved on Saturday, a day before the launch of the new entity.

Hamro Party had selected a loaf of bread as its symbol for the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) election held in 2022.

Additionally, everyone in the hills is aware that Edwards’s family runs the popular bakery, Glenary’s, in Darjeeling.

Hence, Zimba’s pun could not be missed.

Anit Thapa, president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) and the chief executive of the GTA, also mocked Edwards’ new venture.

“It is definitely an event for a leader from Darjeeling hills to repeatedly launch parties,” said Thapa.

Being told that the IGJF said that the hill demand for Gorkhaland state would be its prime focus, Thapa said: “Gone are the days that a party will be accepted just by raising the Gorkhaland issue.”

Thapa, the hill ally of Trinamool, said it was for the Centre to grant statehood and for the BJP’s Darjeeling MP, Raju Bista, to work on the issue.

“There is no need for a new party for Gorkhaland,” said Thapa, adding that the Centre was well aware of the demand.

Edwards had earlier told this newspaper that Gorkhaland and the need to “realign” political equations in Darjeeling apart, the decision to dissolve Hamro Party and form a new entity was also because of a suggestion to the party by the Election Commission of India to change its name.

Hamro Party, formed three years ago, had won the Darjeeling municipality within three months of its formation, but lost control of the board due to defection.

The now-dissolved party has five elected members in the GTA.

Even though the EC had not specified details, Edwards had said that Hamro Party leaders felt that its name was similar to the Hamro Sikkim Party formed by former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia. However, that party soon merged with the Sikkim Democratic Front. Bhaichung has also quit politics.