Buoyed by its candidate’s showing in the
just concluded Lok Sabha election, the Darjeeling –Dooars United Development Foundation (DDUDF), an apolitical organisation, is keen to
make the most and garner people’s support for the separate state demand.
Noted academician Dr. Mahendra P Lama,
who is the founding president of the DDUDF, had contested the LS
election as an Independent and garnered a surprising 55,070 votes in his
maiden outing. He was up against the likes of BJP’s GJM supported
candidate, Surendra Singh Ahluwalia, CPIM’s Saman Pathak, who is a
former Rajya Sabha member and crowd favourite Bhaichung Bhutia from the
Trinamool Congress (TMC).
In a press note issued to media houses
today, the office of the founding trustee of the DDUDF while evaluating
the election results pointed out, “The rise of the DDUDF from a not in
November 2013 to getting over 55,000 votes in April 2014 clearly
indicates the people of this constituency have now started looking for a
much more reliable, honest, effective and durable alternative
organization. This means the foundation with its avowed principle of
‘zero enemy’ is going to be a solid force to reckon with in the future.”
The DDUDF congratulated Ahluwalia for
his win and for becoming the new representative of the people of the
Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency in Parliament. The party also
congratulated the BJP for forming the Government in the centre. But, the
foundation also stated in the next five years, it will make it a point
to persuade and cajole and coax the elected candidate to work for the
people and fulfil all the promises, including that of a separate state
of Gorkhaland, which was assured ahead of the elections.
After the results were announced on
Friday, Lama had personally congratulated Ahluwalia and at the same time
said it would not be a cake walk for the new MP. “We will make the MP
accountable to the people of the Hills and not let him to enjoy and pass
the precious five years without any contribution and service, like the
other MPs before. We will watch, check and ensure the elected candidate
delivers and fulfils his promises,” the Independent candidate had told
reporters.
Unlike previous elections, this time it
was a tight walk for the GJM who tied-up with the BJP. Situation was
also not conducive for the TMC who joined force with the GNLF and the
CPIM party who went alone in the election. Compounding the number
equations for these parties was DDUDF’s Lama, who during the campaign
period had attracted substantial crowd and was pegged to be the game
changer. Moreover, Dr. Lama also garnered support from pro-statehood
regional parties like the CPRM, AIGL and the Gorkha Rajya Nirman Morcha
(GRNM) and social, cultural and religious organizations including the
Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP).
The foundation in their press statement
also alleged the GJM and GNLF had betrayed and sold the statehood demand
to political parties which had nothing to do with the aspiration and
hopes of the people. The DDUDF who is functioning as an apolitical
outfit is expected to dive full-fledged into mainstream politics of the
Hills in the coming days.(EOIC)