Darjeeling: Binay Tamang on Saturday told supporters from
Dooars that the party would not support the BJP in the 2019
parliamentary elections, the expected message assuming significance as
it was the first time that the Morcha chief clearly spelt out the
party's decision to dump the saffron party.
Tamang was interacting with his supporters from Dooars for the
first time after taking charge of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in
Darjeeling.
"I am happy that you want to strengthen the party in the
Dooars. Please go and start reorganising the party, go the villagers and
explain our stand but I want to tell you at the very onset, I will not
support the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. I am clear on this
front and please make it clear to our people in the plains at the very
outset," said Tamang.
With Tamang saying no to the BJP, the question now is whether the
Morcha will field its own candidate or support a Trinamul nominee.
Sources in the Morcha said that a decision to this effect was
not yet taken, but some sources said that a Morcha candidate from the
hills was the most likely scenario.
Tamang recalled how the BJP failed to deliver on its promises
despite bagging the Darjeeling seat twice with Morcha support. "The BJP
won from Darjeeling for two consecutive terms. We accept that they were
in the Opposition during Jaswant Singh's time. Now they are in power but
they have done nothing for us," said Tamang.
The hill leader reminded the audience that no other than
Narendra Modi had promised to grant tribal status to 11 hill
communities. "Forget Gorkhaland, they have not been able to fulfil even
this promise," said Tamang.
"We want the BJP government to grant tribal status within August," he said.
Darjeeling MP, S.S. Ahluwalia's silence during last year's
Gorkhaland agitation was another major point Tamang broached. "The
Darjeeling MP, who is also a minister, did not show any sympathy to our
people during the agitation period. The BJP has only played with our
emotions."
The Telegraph
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