Darjeeling’s Hamro Party president Ajoy Edwards on Thursday joined the Congress party in Delhi. The prominent leader from the hills putting his weight behind the Congress assumes significance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
“We waited for years but BJP did nothing for Darjeeling. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Darjeeling five years ago, he had said – Gorkha people’s dream is my dream... but nothing happened. We are saddened by schemes like Agniveer. This is a betrayal of our youth. We have now come with the INDIA alliance, we can get justice only here,” Mr. Edwards said, adding that he joining the Congress was not only to serve the interests of Darjeeling and the adjoining region but of the country as a whole.
The Hamro Party chief had also joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. In November 2023, another prominent hill leader Binay Tamang joined the Congress party.
Mr. Edward and his party had made a mark in the local politics of the Darjeeling hills and the development is likely to make the Lok Sabha elections a three-cornered contest.
The BJP has fielded Raju Bista from the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, while Trinamool Congress has fielded Gopal Lama.
The Darjeeling seat has been electing BJP MPs since 2009. The issue of a permanent political solution for Darjeeling has been crucial to the politics of the region as a section of people have been demanding a separate State of Gorkhaland. Addressing a public rally at Siliguri in North Bengal on March 9, Mr. Modi said that BJP was sensitive to issues of Gorkhas.
“The BJP has always been sensitive to the problems and challenges of Gorkha brothers and sisters. The BJP is continuously striving to address your concerns. Now we are very close to finding a solution,” he had said.
With Mr. Edwards and Mr. Tamang joining the Congress, speculation is rife that the party will field a prominent name from Darjeeling in the Lok Sabha polls.
