Gorkhaland demand | Electoral fortune in Darjeeling hinges on permanent political solution to this long-pending issue
The Hindu
Darjeeling politics revolve around the demand for Gorkhaland state, with parties promising a permanent political solution.
Amid a new political alignment in Darjeeling, the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland is back in focus and electoral fortune of parties hinges on promises of a permanent political solution to the long-pending issue.
Although a separate Gorkhaland state resonated as a major issue in all elections till 2014, it took a backseat in the 2019 polls. Parties, including the indigenous Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and GNLF, then emphasised on development and restoration of democracy in the region. Politics in the hills has seen many changes in the last six years.
The GJM, once a dominant force in the area, has become a significantly weakened political entity.
The queen of hills witnessed the entry of two new political parties – the Hamro Party led by Ajoy Edwards, which won the Darjeeling Municipal polls in 2022, and Anit Thapa’s Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), which swept the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) elections in June 2022.
They shifted the focus to provide basic amenities and livelihoods. However, with the Lok Sabha polls approaching, the issue of a permanent political solution (PPS) has again gained momentum in the hills.
The BJP promises a permanent political solution within the next five years, and the Bimal Gurung-led GJM, which switched alliances from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), issued a 'final ultimatum' to the saffron camp, demanding a resolution to the hill problem as a pre-condition for their support in the elections.
BJP MP Raju Bista, who is seeking reelection from the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, stated that the “process of finding a permanent political solution for the Darjeeling hills has begun and will be achieved within the next five years”.
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