Darjeeling, April 20: Bimal Gurung today
called on an ailing R.B. Rai, president of the CPRM, a party that had
turned down the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s request to support BJP nominee
S.S. Ahluwalia in Darjeeling and supported Independent candidate
Mahendra P. Lama.
Gurung went to Rai’s house at Rangmook around 11am. He was not accompanied by any other Morcha leader.
The Morcha chief’s
sudden visit to Rai is being seen as his move to improve political
relations in the hills. Many fear the situation in the region could
deteriorate after the election results are out, given that the Morcha’s
supremacy is being challenged by other political formations such as the
Trinamul-GNLF combine and CPRM which has backed Lama.
Gurung did not
inform the media about his visit today. “Life moves on and there is a
life beyond politics that’s why I met our Gorkha leader, Shri R.B. Rai,
the CPRM supremo today on humanitarian grounds. He has not been keeping
well for the last few months. I wish him speedy recovery and good
health,” Gurung’s news release today read.
The Morcha had
sought the CPRM’s support for Ahluwalia’s candidature but Rai’s party
decided to support Lama citing the BJP’s lack of commitment on
statehood.
In the past, the
CPRM has critisised the Morcha often but during the recent statehood
agitation in the hills, Rai’s party was a member of the Gorkhaland Joint
Action Committee that was steering the movement.
Govind Chhetri, a
CPRM spokesperson, welcomed Gurung’s move to visit the ailing leader
today. “This is a positive step towards improving the political
atmosphere in the hills. The CPRM has always wanted a change in the
political culture of the hills where just not the leaders (of a party),
but even the supporters do not see eye to eye,” he said. “The hills have
had a tradition in which, the ruling parties have gone to the extent of
socially boycotting rival party members. This is a good lesson for the
next generation.”
Rai, 65, has been
unwell for more than a month now. He is suffering from gout, high blood
pressure and also has a high cholesterol level. The CPRM chief’s native
place is Rangmook tea garden, 25km from here. But Rai mostly stays at
the party office on Tamang Monastery Road in Darjeeling. Earlier,
Ahluwalia had met Rai in the latter’s party office.
CPRM sources said Rai was shifted to his Rangmook residence about a fortnight back.(TT)