Opposition should have “some presence” in the hills-Saman Pathak

Darjeeling/Siliguri, Nov. 4: The hill Opposition, determined not to give a “walkover” to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, today discussed the possibility of putting up common candidates in a few select seats for the municipal polls next month.

Today’s meeting between the CPM, the CPRM, the ABGL and the Congress was the result of the initiative of MP Saman Pathak who also said the Opposition should have “some presence” in the hills.

However, no final decision was taken at the meeting today. The CPRM and the ABGL will hold separate meetings on November 6 to decide whether they should contest the polls at all.

After the meeting, CPM Rajya Sabha member Pathak told journalists: “It was an informal meeting between the CPM, the Congress, the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League and the CPRM. All the parties were of the opinion that a democratic environment for the people to freely voice their opinion does not exist in the hills.

The Morcha should not be given a walkover. There should be some Opposition presence in the hills. ”

Pathak admitted that they would try and even get in touch with the Subash Ghisingh-led GNLF.

“We have not finalised whether we will contest or not but we will definitely try and get in touch with the GNLF,” Pathak said.

The MP, however, did not divulge any specific decisions on fielding common candidates for the municipal polls. The other parties refused comment.

On Wednesday, the CPRM had indicated that it would not contest the civic polls but today’s meeting hinted that the party was willing to discuss the possibility of putting up consensus candidates in some seats.

Civic elections will be held in the four hill municipalities — Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik — for the first time in seven years on December 11.

In fact, before the Assembly polls this year the CPRM had also suggested to the ABGL that they put up common candidates but it fell through after the latter went ahead and fielded its own candidates.

Although CPRM leader Govind Chhetri had earlier maintained that a “majority” of the party’s senior leaders were against contesting the municipal polls, an observer said: “Even if the CPRM does not contest by itself, it may extend support to some other party covertly or overtly.”

Observers also believe that it is slowly becoming a compulsion for the hill parties to at least have a nominal presence during the elections instead of handing a walkover to the Morcha, which would further demoralise their supporters.

The CPM has taken the initiative to field common candidates for its survival in hill politics.

“The CPM will have to field candidates to retain whatever support it still enjoys in the hills,” an observer said.

“Boycotting the civic polls would send a clear message to its supporters in the hills that CPM is no longer interested in the region. The party cannot afford it now as it would help the Morcha and Trinamul campaign against them,” the observer added.

Sources in the party said even if the other outfits did not agree to field candidates, the Left party would go ahead and do so, at least in some seats.

TT