Over the past week, the GJM president appeared reluctant to announce the party’s decision on the 2014 Lok Sabha election even as senior leaders are meeting UPA and NDA leaders in Delhi.
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| Bimal Gurung talking to reporters in Darjeeling |
After meeting supporters and the general public today at the GJM sub-divisional office in town, Gurung fielded queries from the media.
He said, “I am not even thinking of the election or candidate now. First, I will visit the areas we could not go to during the agitation days. Residents of those places may not be happy. So I will first go to such places to see what needs to be done and will take a call only then.”
The GJM president also said he will seek feedback from constituency leaders.
“I will soon call a meeting of constituency leaders and seek a report of the ground work and field surveys conducted. It is important to know the pulse of the people,” said Gurung.
Ever since the latest round of statehood agitation in August-September of last year, the GJM has had to contend with mass supporter defection and people have begun accusing the party of compromising with the “greater cause” in accepting the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.
A series of public and indoor meetings are slated in March. On March 5, Gurung is scheduled to meet with representatives of various communities residing in the hills, the move coming in the wake of the state cabinet proposing to grant Scheduled Tribe status to 10 communities here.
On March 2, the GJM Darjeeling sub-divisional committee will hold a public meeting in town and this will be followed by another massive convention on March 9 at Sukna.
Gurung refused to be drawn into divulging the party’s plans for the forthcoming polls despite persistent prodding. However, he did reveal a soft corner for the BJP when he said, “Our MP Jaswant Singh has never relented from voicing support to our statehood demand and this has been ever since the tabling of the Telangana Bill till its passage. He has had to face many a verbal tirade from TMC legislators in Parliament. We cannot say he has done nothing.”
When asked to comment on Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s take on a Gorkhaland state not being formed, the GJM president quipped, “It is election time and political leaders will have a lot to say on a number of issues.”
GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, who is heading a five-member delegation in the national capital, will try to meet Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in a couple of days, added Gurung.
Source:EOI
