The Morcha had fielded four candidates — three in Darjeeling district and one in Jalpaiguri district. The candidates in Darjeeling district won with a margin of over 1 lakh votes in each constituency. The GJM candidate in Jalpaiguri district also won, though he contested the election from jail.
In all Assembly constituencies in Darjeeling, GJM candidates won with record margins. (see box) Incidentally, except GJM, the deposits of all other parties — including All India Gorkha League (AIGL) and GNLF — were forfeited as none could not get one-sixth of the total votes polled.
Significantly, the results of the Assembly election in the hills is a big blow to the Sixth Schedule. In 2008, when GNLF chief Subhash Ghising was ousted from Darjeeling, people had rejected the Sixth Schedule. The verdict had remained the same after three years of Ghising’s return.
Moreover, AIGL also miserably lost to the GJM. Slain AIGL president Madan Tamang’s wife Bharti was the party’s candidate in Darjeeling — she bagged the third position when it came to vote share in Darjeeling.
GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said: “This is the people’s verdict and none of our candidates lost. This victory implies that people of the hills are with us and they want the a separate Gorkhaland. We expect that the new government will pay heed to our demand as we supported the Trinamool-Congress alliance in all seats in Terai and the Dooars.”
He added: “We know that people will again evict GNLF chief Subhas Ghising from the hills. But we have appealed to the people to be restrained and not to indulge in violence. We will take out a huge victory rally on May 19 after the government is formed.”
---INDIAN EXPRESS
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