KURSEONG 29 JULY: The much-awaited and the first election to the
Gorkhaland Territorial Administration concluded in the Hills today
peacefully. According to Darjeeling district magistrate Saumitra Mohan,
the total voters for 17 seats were around 2.11 lakh and the total
percentage of votes cast was 72 to 75 per cent in the Hills.
In
Kalimpong, the total number of voters were 1,09,643 and the percentage
of votes cast was 74.04 per cent. In Kurseong, the total number of
voters were 72,071 and the percentage of votes cast was 73.61 per cent.
Election
was held in only 17 seats, but even then the charm was missing due to a
directive of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, wherein she asked all her
party candidates not to prepare to campaign or prepare for the polls,
She said this was a friendly gesture towards the GJMM. Hence, the
Trinamul candidates are more like dummy candidates. However, in the
Gitadabling Nimbong constituency (41) in the Kalimpong sub-division,
there was a direct contest between the GJMM official candidate, Mr
Kalyan Dewan, and the GJMM dissident candidate, Mr Sanchbir Subba. A
large number of people were seen in queues in various booths to cast
their votes for the candidates of their choice. The total number of
voters in the constituency was 10,561. In fact, the constituency has
become a prestige issue for the GJMM for two reasons: first Mr Subba has
defied the direction of the party to withdraw and secondly the claim of
GJMM chief Bimal Gurung to win all the 45 seats of the GTA uncontested
has been challenged by party dissident. Hence, the party wants its
official candidate to win by a large margin. Mr Subba, however, kept
saying that he was a loyal soldier of the GJMM and if he wins, he will
work under the directive of the party chief.
Mr Gurung has not
yet suspended nor expelled him from the party but has announced that
even if Mr Subba wins he will not entertain him by bringing him on board
the GTA. Instead he will include Mr Dewan by nominating him as one of
the five nominated members. sns
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