A tussle seems to have broken out in the BJP over the candidature for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, with district leaders speaking in multiple voices.
While sitting MP Raju Bista has the backing of a sizeable segment of the party, B.P. Sharma, the party MLA from Kurseong, has staked his claim as a “bhumiputra” (son of the soil).
He has threatened to contest as an Independent if the party fields an “outsider”. Bista is a Gorkha but hails from Manipur.
Adding to the mix, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a former foreign secretary who is from the region, has been reaching out to people in the hills and the plains.
“His overtures are significant. He is moving across Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, meeting and helping people in different ways. Though he has not given any hints, his activities have led to speculation within and outside the party,” an observer said.
A senior BJP functionary in Siliguri said: “The central leadership will decide the candidate for the Darjeeling seat, which our party has won three times straight since 2009.”
He added: “But unlike other districts of north Bengal, there is utter confusion here because of the activities of party leaders. Also, Shringla’s activities have generated curiosity since he is regularly meeting people in different forums.”
Kalyan Dewan, president of the Darjeeling (hills) district committee of the BJP, has lauded Bista’s performance, indicating the district committee is behind him.
“The way things are moving forward under the leadership of our MP is an indication of good teamwork. There is a big opportunity (of him winning if fielded), too,” Dewan said.
Shankar Ghosh and Anandamoy Barman — party MLAs from Siliguri and Matigara-Naxalbari — too are Bista supporters.
“The MP has done a lot for the region. He has brought central funds for the construction of four-lane highways, expansion of Bagdogra airport, and development of New Jalpaiguri station,” Ghosh said.
“Also, he facilitated the allocation of funds for drinking water projects in the hills and the plains.”
Asked about Shringla’s recent visits to various places in and around Siliguri, Ghosh gave a terse answer.
“I have no inkling about his activities. Nor is our party involved in the works he has taken up,” he said, alluding to the promises Shringla has made to people.
Sharma, the Kurseong MLA, has said he is not satisfied with Bista’s performance as MP.
“We thought we had brought a Gorkha’s son but we now realise we had just brought a party cadre. He is not working for the community but for the interests of the party as he wants a party ticket,” he said.
Sharma added: “If the BJP comes with the same election promises and sends someone from Delhi and does not field anybody from here (a local candidate) this time, I am ready to contest against the candidate.”
He attacked Shringla, too, but without naming him. “During Durga Puja, we found some posters written in Bengali in Siliguri and in Nepali in Darjeeling,” Sharma said, alluding to Shringla’s posters.
“Just having a property (in the hills) is not enough. Even Mithun Chakraborty and Govinda have properties in the hills…. We need people who are from among us and are committed to our issues,” he said.
Shringla traces his roots to Darjeeling, with both his parents hailing from the hills. He has ancestral properties in Darjeeling but has spent most of his time away from the hills since his school days.
The former diplomat, who has floated the Darjeeling Welfare Society, said he intends to work for the people of the region.
In a lecture at North Bengal University on Friday, he elaborated on the geostrategic importance of Siliguri and argued that Siliguri, Darjeeling and Sikkim can become a new “golden trio” for tourism.
On Saturday, he visited a private hospital and then travelled to Panighata on Siliguri’s outskirts. He met local people and assured them of help so that the Panighata tea estate, closed for months, could be reopened.
