Morcha role for 28

Darjeeling, July 13: The 28 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha candidates declared uncontested winners in the GTA polls have been asked by party chief Bimal Gurung to oversee campaigns in the remaining seats that go to polls on July 29.

Although the hill party has got the majority in the GTA Sabha before the contest, the move is an indication that Gurung is not ready for a defeat in even a single seat as it will be blow to the Morcha’s boast of “99 per cent support of the hill population”.

Today, Gurung called the “winning” candidates to Darjeeling and assigned them specific responsibilities.

Binay Tamang, the assistant general secretary of the Morcha, said: “Prakash Gurung, Ratan Thapa and Narbu G. Lama have been asked by the party chief to leave for Kalimpong immediately and help the four winning candidates from that subdivision and oversee the party’s campaign. They will help our candidates in nine constituencies.”

Sources said the party has already chalked out a campaign plan for Kalimpong and Gurung has decided to hold meetings at Relli-Samthar, Gidabling-Nimbong, Samsing-Kumai and Rongo-Jhaldhaka-Todey constituencies in the subdivision.Observers said rebel Morcha candidate Sanchabir Subba, who was expelled from the party yesterday, could pose a challenge to Morcha candidate Kalyan Dewan.

“Sanchabir, who was the party’s zonal president till recently, has a strong support base in the area (Gidabling-Nimbong). More important, the expelled Morcha leader has already started his campaign,” said an observer.

Gurung had admitted yesterday that the party could face a “semblance of a fight in Panighatta” where Trinamul’s Rajen Mukhia is in the fray.

Gurung today directed party general secretary Roshan Giri, vice-president Pradip Pradhan and Anit Thapa, Sanjay Thulung, Mahesh Pradhan, Kaziman Lohagun and Rabindra Lama to take care of the campaigns in Mirik block.

“The winning candidates from the Nari Morcha, Asha Gurung, Shanti Chhetri, Urmila Rumba and Prava Chhetri, have not been assigned any constituencies but they have been asked to be on mobile duty,” said Binay.

Gurung will address a meeting at Mirik and Panighatta, but the dates have not been decided yet.He has also decided to travel between Kalimpong and Mirik in the coming fortnight to campaign.