People's Democracy

Five-Party Alliance Calls For Early Election

To The Darjeeling Hill Council

THE five-party alliance that has been formed in the hill areas of the Darjeeling district in Bengal has called for the holding of elections to the hill council within six months.  Till the polls are organised, the alliance has called for the formation of the board of the hill council from amongst the representatives of the democratic political parties of the hill area.  The five parties are: CPI(M), CPI, CPRM, Gorkha League, and GNLF (CKP).

The leaders of the five-party alliance, Ananda Pathak, Sandopal Lepcha, Jibes Sarkar (CPI-M), Madan Tamang (Gorkha league), R B Rai, Saon Rai (CPRM), and D K Pradhan (GNLF-CKP), met at the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan on March 15.  In the meting were present state secretary of the CPI(M), Anil Biswas and Bengal Left Front chairman, Biman Basu, and state committee member of the CPI(M), Ashok Bhattacharya.

On the same day, the Bengal state assembly passed the hill council amendment bill which provides that after the extended period of the present term of the council expires on March 26, a caretaker administrator or administrators could carry on the work for six more months.  The word ‘autonomous’ has been dropped from the hill council act. The bill was passed despite the trivial opposition of the Trinamul Congress.

There was magnificent response to the call for a one-hour chakka jam in the hill areas of the Darjeeling district at the call of the five-party alliance on the same day.  There was also a crowded rally organised by the alliance in demand for early election to the hill council, and which was held at the Chowkbazar area of the hill city.

During the debate in the assembly, the CPI(M) and other Left Front legislators made it clear that the state LF government would not want a situation of conflict to develop in the hill areas of the Darjeeling district, especially in view of the situation prevailing in neighbouring Nepal. On the other hand, a discredited Ghising and his decimated GNLF, riven with dissensions, was all for avoiding election. Recently, under popular pressure, Ghising had to call off his strike threats, exposing himself further before the masses.

Following the meeting of the leadership of the five-party alliance in Kolkata, Anil Biswas said that elections in the hill council were very necessary because of three reasons: continuation of amity and harmony in the hills, acceleration of the process of development, and firming up the basis of democracy. 

In the six months before the elections were held to the council, stated Biswas, there must be a board formed of representatives of the democratic parties of the region.  The Bengal CPI(M), it is recalled, has repeatedly declared that it wants peace, development, and democracy in the hill areas of the Darjeeling district, indeed, as everywhere else in Bengal.  (INN)