The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) may
have announced its support to independent candidate Dr. Mahendra P Lama
in the general elections at the regional level, but organisation
president Dr. Enos Das Pradhan today said the matter is yet to be
discussed at the national level.
Noting that the BGP is an apolitical
body functioning at the national level, Pradhan said: “The BGP has been
organising various activities at the national level in demand of Gorkhaland. There is need to elect a capable and sincere person as MP
from the region in order to ensure the demand gets taken forward.” The
BGP president claimed Lama has stepped forward to contest in the polls
for the sole reason of pursuing the statehood demand and all BGP
regional units will support him fully. Praising Lama as the ideal
candidate, Pradhan said: “He (Dr. Lama) understands and knows how the
statehood agenda is to be raised in Delhi. He knows what is to be done.
In the present scenario, Lama is a competent candidate.” The BGP chief
also spoke on the hot issue of ‘son-of-the-soil’.
Pradhan said: “Last time we elected BJP
heavyweight Jashwant Sinha to the Lok Sabha. He was sent there for the
primary issue of raising the statehood demand, but political compulsions
restrained him from doing so to just on a solitary occasion.” He
informed the BGP will host its national convention on March 9 and 10 in
Siliguri. He said the issue of Gorkhaland will be discussed amongst
members on the first day, while the final day will have discussions on
the organisation’s activities. (EOI)