Sujay Ghatak, the Congress candidate
from the Darjeeling parliamentary constituency, was today accorded a
“welcome” here that he is unlikely
to forget for a long time to come.
Visiting the hill Congress party office for the first time, Ghatak was
taken separately to a room by a senior leader and reprimanded for nearly
an hour.
The hapless candidate’s fault was that
he had failed to uphold the Congress’ tradition followed by party
candidates when they file their election nomination papers. Ghatak filed
his nomination on March 24 at the district magistrate’s office here,
but he overlooked the long-held tradition of visiting the party office
first.
"According to our tradition, a candidate
first visits the party office from where he leads a rally en route to
file his nomination. But Ghatak ignored this convention. Several party
supporters from various parts of the hills and plains had convened to
participate in the rally that day," noted Nakul Chhetri, a senior member
of the Darjeeling Congress (hills) Committee.
Ironically and for reasons unknown,
Ghatak was greeted and cheered by Trinamool Congress supporters gathered
on the premises of the DM's office the day he filed his papers. The TMC
supporters were waiting for their candidate, Bhaichung Bhutia, who was
also to file his nomination on March 24.
Congress sources said Ghatak, having
realised his mistake of flouting the party tradition, visited the
Darjeeling party office today to mend fences with displeased seniors.
Chhetri, the Congress candidate for the 2009 LS election from
Darjeeling, was the most vocal in venting his displeasure.
"It is because of us that the Congress
is still alive in the hills. We have sweated and even faced adverse
consequences for years. We felt humiliated when our party's candidate
failed to turn up at the office on the day he filed his nomination," the
senior leader said.
Chhetri added, "We (hill Congress) do
not seek a ticket or money on the pretext of elections. We only want our
age-old tradition to be followed properly.”
A party source said the Congress high
command neither took the district headquarters into confidence nor
consulted hill leaders before announcing Ghatak's candidature from
Darjeeling.
Ghatak was literally in a daze after the
‘welcome’ he received at the party office. But he tried to play down
the incident while interacting with media persons, saying it was like a
family matter.
"There was some miscommunication and I
did not know our supporters and party leaders were waiting for me at the
party office. I regret of not having followed the tradition. But I too
was surprised when I reached the DM's office to file my nomination and
failed to find any supporters. However, I don't mind getting scolded by
my seniors and elders and everything is settled now," blurted the MP
hopeful.
When asked about the purpose behind
today's visit, Ghatak said he had come to meet Gorkha National
Liberation Front chairman Subash Ghisingh to seek his support.
"I went and met him (Ghisingh) at his
residence in the morning. However, the GNLF president told me the time
was not right now and that he would let me know his decision later,"
said Ghatak.
Ghisingh is known for his proximity to
the Congress, but has the habit of keeping things in suspense before
making a last-minute announcement.
Asked for his comments on the emotive
issue of statehood, Ghatak chose not to take sides and said, "I am just a
small leader and it is up to the party higher-ups," adding he would
instead try to bridge the gap between the hills and the plains.(EOIC)