Non-GJMM parties in Hills are still dithering whether they would participate in the election or not

SILIGURI/DARJEELING, 4 NOV: With the Darjeeling district administration having taken initiatives to ensure free and fair civic body elections in the Hills, the principal non-GJMM parties are still dithering whether they would participate in the election or not.
The civic polls in the four Hill municipalities ~ Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik ~ are slated for 11 December. The last civic election was held in 2005. but it could not be held in 2009 because of the dragging tension over the statehood agitations. The filing of nomination is expected to begin on 8 November.
The Darjeeling district Left Front today said it would have a talk with the non-GJMM political parties like the AIGL, the CPRM and the GNLF about the matter.
The Darjeeling district Left Front convenor, Mr Asok Bhattacharya, said in Siliguri today that the party would take the decision on the matter soon.
“We will first have talks with all the non-GJMM parties, including the Congress, to decide whether the prevailing atmosphere in the Hills is conducive for a free and fair election. The dialogue has already begun and the Rajya Sabha MP, Mr Saman Pathak, has been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the dialogue on behalf of the CPI-M,” the senior Marxist leader said.
Mr Pathak had talks with some political parties on the issue in Darjeeling today. The CPRM and the AIGL have called meetings on Sunday to decide whether they would take part in the civic elections.
The AIGL president, Mrs Bharati Tamang, said her party would meet in Kalimpong on 6 November to take a final decision on the matter.
A senior CPRM leader, Mr Taramoni Rai, said the ground situation had remained unchanged in the Hills. “The surface peace is misguiding. The reality is different,” he said, adding that his party would take the decision on the matter next Sunday.