2 new parties rule GTA polls; TMC wins Siliguri

Ex-GJM leader Anit Thapa’s party wins 27 of 45 seats

Within four months of stunning the mainstream political parties in Darjeeling during the West Bengal municipal elections, two new hillbased outfits on Wednesday repeated their magic and ruled the crucial Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) polls.

Among the two parties, Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, launched by former Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Anit Thapa, won 27 seats among 45 and emerged with a sweeping majority to form the GTA board. It earlier came second with nine seats in the Darjeeling Municipal polls in March.

Mr Thapa, who earlier served in the GTA during his stint with the GJM, said, “This is the victory of the mountains and it’s people. Politics is run on reality and not emotions. There should be no unrest in the hills.”

On the other hand, famous restaurateur Ajoy Edwards’ Humro Party, which ruled the Darjeeling civic polls, bagged eight seats in the GTA polls which were boycotted by GJM chief Bimal Gurung and his new mentor– BJP.

For the first time, the Trinamul Congress also entered the GTA with five seats, akin to the number the independents won. One of the winning TMC candidates is former GJM leader, Binay Tamang.

TMC supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee said at Durgapur in Burdwan West, “I congratulate the people of Darjeeling which faced a lot of turmoil and provocation. But peace has returned to the hills and Jangalmahal. The people of the hills participated in the polls peacefully. We are happy”

She, however, claimed, “Anit’s party got 27 seats apart from four won by the independents. We allied with them, contested in 10 and won 5. So our alliance got the majority.”

At the foot of the hills, the TMC won Siliguri sub-division council polls with a majority.