A day after former Indian Soccer skipper Bhaichung Bhutia was announced as a can- didate for the Darjeeling seat, party workers of the Trinamool Congress in the hills dissatisfied over the decision said they had.
Bhaichung interestingly has not touched upon the issue so far after being chosen as the candidate for the seat. Anti-GJM parties like the Akhil Bharitiya Gorkha League (ABGL) nevertheless has pointed out that the Trinamool’s decision to field Bhaichung has exposed the TMC hill unit’s importance simultaneously also making realize the fact that there was no able person among the six so that the TMC high command could think over it. “If they (Hill TMC leaders) believe in ethics, they should resign from the TMC and work towards people’s aspiration,” said Pratap Khati, the ABGL general secretary
been expecting a candidate who is the ‘son of the soil’ for the prestigious seat. The hill unit of the Trinamool, that gained prominence amidst the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) lead ‘Gorkhaland’ agitation,also said they had sent a list of six probable candidates to the party high command in Kolkata for fielding its candidate for the seat. “We wanted a candidate who is the son of the soil for the Darjeeling. The decision of the party has baffled us and left the entire unit in dismay,” said a Kalimpong based TMC leader. Trinamool’s choice for Bhaichung according to observers is set to make less impact to the voters.An observer wishing not to be named said that the Darjeeling hills is reeling with a sensitive issue visa-vis the demand for separate state of Gorkhaland which Bhaichung on TMC’s banner cannot address at any cost. “The people of the hills as well as the political parties in Darjeeling want their representative to speak for the demand at the highest level. It is a known fact that the Trinamool is against the demand and will never support the demand for separate state. At such a situation Bhaichung’s candidature for the seat may get less support from the people as well as the outfits. Bhaichung is better respected as a footballer from the region not a politician who could be only a puppet of the Trinamool Congress,” said the analyst.
Bhaichung interestingly has not touched upon the issue so far after being chosen as the candidate for the seat. Anti-GJM parties like the Akhil Bharitiya Gorkha League (ABGL) nevertheless has pointed out that the Trinamool’s decision to field Bhaichung has exposed the TMC hill unit’s importance simultaneously also making realize the fact that there was no able person among the six so that the TMC high command could think over it. “If they (Hill TMC leaders) believe in ethics, they should resign from the TMC and work towards people’s aspiration,” said Pratap Khati, the ABGL general secretary
been expecting a candidate who is the ‘son of the soil’ for the prestigious seat. The hill unit of the Trinamool, that gained prominence amidst the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) lead ‘Gorkhaland’ agitation,also said they had sent a list of six probable candidates to the party high command in Kolkata for fielding its candidate for the seat. “We wanted a candidate who is the son of the soil for the Darjeeling. The decision of the party has baffled us and left the entire unit in dismay,” said a Kalimpong based TMC leader. Trinamool’s choice for Bhaichung according to observers is set to make less impact to the voters.An observer wishing not to be named said that the Darjeeling hills is reeling with a sensitive issue visa-vis the demand for separate state of Gorkhaland which Bhaichung on TMC’s banner cannot address at any cost. “The people of the hills as well as the political parties in Darjeeling want their representative to speak for the demand at the highest level. It is a known fact that the Trinamool is against the demand and will never support the demand for separate state. At such a situation Bhaichung’s candidature for the seat may get less support from the people as well as the outfits. Bhaichung is better respected as a footballer from the region not a politician who could be only a puppet of the Trinamool Congress,” said the analyst.
Mukesh Sharma