After the thumping win by its ally the
BJP, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is now focusing its guns toward Delhi to
realise the “long pending” demand for statehood over the next five
years, if not immediately. It has also appealed to all stakeholders
concerned to work together to achieve statehood.
GJM president Bimal Gurung today said he
intends to expedite the statehood demand now that a party inclined
towards acceding to such a wish is all set to form government at the
Centre.
“Our goal has always been a separate
state. We will not rest on our election laurels, but utilise the next
five years to accelerate the statehood demand given the sympathetic
dispensation in New Delhi,” he said at the GJM Patleybas party office
near Darjeeling town.
Gurung also urged all opposition parties in the hills to forget differences and work together to achieve the statehood demand.
“I don’t believe in vindictive politics.
There should not be bloodshed amongst our own brothers and sisters. Now
that the time is right, I appeal to all parties here to focus and work
for a separate state instead of indulging in petty politics,” he said.
The GJM president, however, did not
include the Trinamool Congress and the Gorkha National Liberation Front
in his appeal as he said these two parties are against a separate state.
“We have shown everyone the GJM is the
undisputed party in the hills in spite of many adversities we had to
face. We will focus all our energies and strategies towards Delhi as
that is the place where things happen. We will also ask all opposition
parties to join hands with us to achieve our goal, which would be a
fitting reply to our detractors,” said Gurung.
BJP candidate SS Ahluwalia won from the Darjeeling constituency with a thumping margin of 1,99,829 votes over
his nearest rival Bhaichung Bhutia of the TMC, which has definitely
dented Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s prestige. The BJP, as part of a
pre-arranged agreement, has also included the statehood demand in its
election manifesto.
On his ties with the state government
going forward, especially with Banerjee, the GJM chief said, “We (the
Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) will continue to work for the
benefit of the people in tandem with the state government, even though
the latter has neither given us funds nor started any development work
as promised. Another fact that needs highlighting is that the chief
minister comes to the Darjeeling hills only to divide the communities
living here and create problems. But we will measure her attitude and
actions assiduously including that of the state government and work
accordingly,” asserted Gurung, adding all development works being
presently undertaken in the hills have been initiated from the
Rs200-crore special package handed out by the central government.
The GJM president said he will definitely attend Ahluwalia’s oath-taking ceremony in the national capital.
“I will be going to Delhi to attend the
oath-taking ceremony with the hope our candidate (Ahluwalia) is given a
cabinet portfolio as this would augur well for our cause,” said Gurung.
After Gurung returns from Delhi, the GJM
has plans to welcome Ahluwalia by holding victory rallies and
celebratory programmes in the three sub-divisions of the hills as well
as in the plains where the BJP leader secured impressive vote counts.(EOIC)