Siliguri, 10 March: North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today supported Baichung
Bhutia’s ‘personal decision’ to seek support from Gorkha Jan Mukti
Morcha (GJMM) chief Bimal Gurung. A section of leaders in the Darjeeling
Hill Trinamul have objected to Mr Bhutia’s decision to reach out to the
GJMM for a possible tie-up during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“I support Baichung for his decision to call up Bimal Gurung. A candidate can approach all persons who belong to other political parties. We should not be critical over whether his phone call was responded to positively or negatively,” Mr Deb told a press conference here.
The former Indian football captain telephoned Mr Gurung on Saturday and sought the latter’s support in his poll bid in Darjeeling. Mr Gurung refused to support Mr Bhutia and today, finally decided to “continue” its “relations” with BJP.
Reacting to GJMM’s decision to support BJP in the polls, Mr Deb said: “There is no chance of an alliance with GJMM. Being a political party, it can go along with any political party. We do not bother about the GJMM decision. But it is evident that the GJMM will be once again criticised for supporting BJP.”
“Everybody knows that a section of the people put up ‘wanted’ posters of Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh, who, according to them, went missing (soon after the 2009 elections) in Darjeeling Hills. Despite Mamata Banerjee’s top priority to develop Darjeeling, if they go with BJP, we will go it alone and campaign in the Hills from 12 March by highlighting development plans for the people,” Mr Deb said. He added that he is confident about Mr Bhutia winning the seat.
Acording to him, around 400 families from Savoke-10 Mile will join Trinamul Congress, while several leaders belonging to different political parties in Matigara and Naxalbari will follow suit.
A senior Congress activist, Ashok Bhagat, from ward no 5 in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation joined Trinamul today, he said.
In another context, Mr Deb said his party has constituted a north Bengal Economic Forum, where around 30 persons, including 25 chartered accountants, joined today.
“I support Baichung for his decision to call up Bimal Gurung. A candidate can approach all persons who belong to other political parties. We should not be critical over whether his phone call was responded to positively or negatively,” Mr Deb told a press conference here.
The former Indian football captain telephoned Mr Gurung on Saturday and sought the latter’s support in his poll bid in Darjeeling. Mr Gurung refused to support Mr Bhutia and today, finally decided to “continue” its “relations” with BJP.
Reacting to GJMM’s decision to support BJP in the polls, Mr Deb said: “There is no chance of an alliance with GJMM. Being a political party, it can go along with any political party. We do not bother about the GJMM decision. But it is evident that the GJMM will be once again criticised for supporting BJP.”
“Everybody knows that a section of the people put up ‘wanted’ posters of Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh, who, according to them, went missing (soon after the 2009 elections) in Darjeeling Hills. Despite Mamata Banerjee’s top priority to develop Darjeeling, if they go with BJP, we will go it alone and campaign in the Hills from 12 March by highlighting development plans for the people,” Mr Deb said. He added that he is confident about Mr Bhutia winning the seat.
Acording to him, around 400 families from Savoke-10 Mile will join Trinamul Congress, while several leaders belonging to different political parties in Matigara and Naxalbari will follow suit.
A senior Congress activist, Ashok Bhagat, from ward no 5 in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation joined Trinamul today, he said.
In another context, Mr Deb said his party has constituted a north Bengal Economic Forum, where around 30 persons, including 25 chartered accountants, joined today.
Baichung pitches for development in Hills
The ‘son of the soil’ was back in Sikkim, and this time around he was not the much-loved soccer star.
Trinamul Congress candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency and former captain of the Indian football team, Baichung Bhutia, today held his first press conference as a politician in his hometown here.
A warm welcome accorded to him by the Sikkim Pradesh Trinamul Congress (SPTMC). Mr Bhutia faced the media persons, eagerly waiting to hear him out at the SPTC office in Tadong near Gangtok.
“I will never discriminate between the people of the Hills (Darjeeling) and my state Sikkim,” he said.
Mr Bhutia also sought the support of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front as well as the opposition parties in helping Trinamul candidate win in the upcoming general elections.
“As Sikkim has only one MP each in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the state’s voice on important issues often goes unheard in Parliament, but if SPTMC sends an MP from Sikkim, his voice will automatically resound in the Parliament along with the voices of 42 other MPs of the TMC,” Mr Bhutia said. “I will work sincerely, honestly and in a transparent manner for the people of the Hills,” he added.According to him, his target in Darjeeling will be to maintaining peace, development and creation of opportunities.
On allegations that he is no longer the son of the soil since he is fighting the polls from a different state, Baichung said they are all ‘political play for the personal gain of a few political parties.”“Stepping into politics happened all of a sudden. I myself was not aware of TMC giving me the ticket and I came to know of about this through the media,” he said. “TMC is a party that is trying to bring about development in the Hills and what the Hills needs at the moment is development,” he added.
“The belt of Kurseong, Kalimpong and Darjeeling has been neglected since long. The (Gorkhaland) agitation started in the Hills because of the lack of opportunities, he said.
At the press meet, Mr Bhutia was accompanied by TMC District President Bhupendra Lepcha.
Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha supporters from the Sikkim Chalak Morcha Youth, and 30 other people joined TMC today to support Mr Bhutia in his fight in the upcoming elections. (SNS)
Trinamul Congress candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency and former captain of the Indian football team, Baichung Bhutia, today held his first press conference as a politician in his hometown here.
A warm welcome accorded to him by the Sikkim Pradesh Trinamul Congress (SPTMC). Mr Bhutia faced the media persons, eagerly waiting to hear him out at the SPTC office in Tadong near Gangtok.
“I will never discriminate between the people of the Hills (Darjeeling) and my state Sikkim,” he said.
Mr Bhutia also sought the support of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front as well as the opposition parties in helping Trinamul candidate win in the upcoming general elections.
“As Sikkim has only one MP each in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the state’s voice on important issues often goes unheard in Parliament, but if SPTMC sends an MP from Sikkim, his voice will automatically resound in the Parliament along with the voices of 42 other MPs of the TMC,” Mr Bhutia said. “I will work sincerely, honestly and in a transparent manner for the people of the Hills,” he added.According to him, his target in Darjeeling will be to maintaining peace, development and creation of opportunities.
On allegations that he is no longer the son of the soil since he is fighting the polls from a different state, Baichung said they are all ‘political play for the personal gain of a few political parties.”“Stepping into politics happened all of a sudden. I myself was not aware of TMC giving me the ticket and I came to know of about this through the media,” he said. “TMC is a party that is trying to bring about development in the Hills and what the Hills needs at the moment is development,” he added.
“The belt of Kurseong, Kalimpong and Darjeeling has been neglected since long. The (Gorkhaland) agitation started in the Hills because of the lack of opportunities, he said.
At the press meet, Mr Bhutia was accompanied by TMC District President Bhupendra Lepcha.
Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha supporters from the Sikkim Chalak Morcha Youth, and 30 other people joined TMC today to support Mr Bhutia in his fight in the upcoming elections. (SNS)