Darjeeling, June 12: Bimal
Gurung today said the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha was “open for talks” with
the Trinamul Congress but categorically ruled out any understanding with
the Congress in the panchayat elections in the Dooars.
Some observers in
the hills said Gurung may not want to ruffle Trinamul’s feathers as he
needs the state government’s co-operation to settle several demands of
the hill people.
“Apart from the
smooth functioning of the GTA, certain demands of the Morcha such as
withdrawal of police cases against their supporters and waiving sales
tax dues need the state government’s clearance. The party does not want
to antagonise Mamata Banerjee,” said an observer.
The Morcha and
John Barla’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are contesting the polls as
allies in the Dooars. When Barla had earlier talked about tying up with
Trinamul in non-tea garden areas in the Dooars, the Morcha opposed the
move.
Barla and Trinamul, however, have worked out a pre-poll understanding.
Today Gurung said:
“We have no problems with the JMM’s decision. They are in an alliance
with us but then they are an independent entity also. If they want to
tie up with the Trinamul also, it’s their decision.”
Asked about the
Morcha’s stand on Trinamul, Gurung said: “What is the harm in talking to
Trinamul? We are open for talks with them.”
He, however, ruled
out talks with other parties such as the Congress and the CPM. When
asked about the possibility of any tie-up with the Congress, Gurung
said: “No.”
There is hardly
scope of an alliance with the Congress before the panchayat elections
as today was the last day to file nominations in the Dooars.
Gurung, who had
gone to meet governor M.K. Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan here, did not
clarify if he was talking about any post-election understanding.
Morcha sources said a tie-up with Trinamul would not be on seat-sharing but on post-election matters.
“However, talks
could be on helping each other in taking control of gram panchayats,
panchayat samitis and the zilla parishad,” said a source.
The Telegraph
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