Amitava Banerjee, MP, 5 June 2024, Darjeeling: BJP candidate Raju Bista, supported by the Hill regional parties, retained the Darjeeling seat winning by a margin of over one lakh votes.
However, his vote share has reduced by more than a half. In 2019, Bista had won by a margin of 302228 votes.
TMC on the other hand has increased its vote share considerably. At the time of filing of the report, as per the ECI website, Raju Bista of the BJP had secured 679331 votes; Gopal Lama of TMC 500806 and Munish Tamang of Congress 83374 votes.
Bista was leading by 178525 votes. Incidentally, Darjeeling is the constituency which had provided a toehold to the BJP in Bengal politics in 2009.
“This is a historic victory going against the trend in the state. My main aim is the liberation of my community. This is a victory against the widespread corruption in the Hills. As soon as the Model Code of Conduct is lifted, steps will be taken to finish off the corruption. I will work tirelessly to fulfill the aspirations of the people,” stated Bista, after his victory.
Bista and the BJP had fought elections assuring a permanent political solution of the Gorkha impasse along with the inclusion of 11 left our Gorkha sub communities in the Scheduled Tribe list. In 2019 also, the BJP poll plank comprised these two issues which however failed to see the light of day despite Bista’s landslide victory then.
The BJP was backed by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM) and other Hill regional parties.
Interestingly, Bimal Gurung and the GJM that had lost considerable relevance in Hill politics are trying to make a comeback riding piggyback on the BJP. “I have full faith in BJP and Raju Bista, that is why we rallied behind them. We are sure that the BJP will fulfill our aspirations. We will all work together,” stated Bimal Gurung.
The BGPM had supported the TMC. “We are happy with the performance of TMC statewide. While TMC did well in the state, the INDIA alliance did very well in the country. Though we lost Darjeeling we have considerably narrowed the margin,” stated Papiya Ghosh, President, president, Darjeeling district Trinamool Committee (Plains).
Anit Thapa, president, BGPM stated: “There is a clear indication of a political change in the country.
The constituency should have carefully weighed their options before casting their votes. If we could have ensured the victory of the TMC, it would have been good for the Hills. We will constitute working in close coordination with the Bengal government. Though the BJP has done nothing for the Hills till date, we hope they will live up to their commitments in the next five years.”
The BJP had bagged the Darjeeling Parliamentary seat in 2009, 2014 and 2019. Riding piggyback on the Gorkhaland demand, the BJP had managed to turn the hill votes to its advantage. In 2019, Bista won from the Darjeeling Lok Sabha Constituency, defeating the TMC candidate Amar Singh Rai by 302228 votes.
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/bjps-raju-bista-retains-darj-seat-566620