When the Hill-based Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), a close ally of the NDA, is politically working with the BJP, the Congress may beg votes from the Hill people highlighting the dream of founder GNLF president the Late Subash Ghisingh.
GNLF is in a tight spot after one party activist Mahendra Chhetri met the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi yesterday as a general secretary of the party on the issue of the sixth schedule status for Darjeeling Hills.
A former GNLF (Gorkha National Liberation Front) activist Bhawesh Bhujel, resident of Kalimpong, has informed the President of India Droupadi Murmu that a group of Gorkhas will start 'fast unto death' under Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland from 22 August. Mr Bhujel has written a letter to the President Droupadi Murmu seeking her intervention in resolving the issue amicably.
GNLF leader Y Lama said, "Our president has been in constant touch with Delhi and he got a message that a tripartite meeting has been called there by the Home Ministry to discuss a solution to the problems of the Gorkhas."
"Ever since the electoral alliance that was stitched with the party in power in Delhi, our president has completely surrendered the entire organisation, neglecting the ethos and the aspirations of the Gorkhas,"
Stating that he was now a representative of the "silent majority," Edwards said that he would work to come to power with this "majority" and work to unite the Gorkha community for the "one agenda, a separate state of Gorkhaland."
"The term of our town committee ended on 5 August itself, and a new committee had not been formed since our Darjeeling sub-divisional president Ajoy Edwards was out of the station. Now after he has already announced his resignation from the party, it does not make sense for us to remain here so we are also leaving the party,"
According to GNLF leader Ajoy Edwards, he would leave for Delhi within a week to try and set up a meeting of its alliance partners and representatives from the civil society with senior leaders of the BJP.
"The people here have given everything to the BJP, with the GNLF also giving away its winning seats during the elections. We are all hopeful that the BJP will do something for us. Now the ball is in their court and the time has come for them to fulfil the aspirations of the people,"
The GNLF claim comes amid discontentment in the Hills when it comes to the BJP, which is accused of not keeping its promises even after the region helped the party win three consecutive parliamentary elections.
