Gorkha Janmukti Morcha candidates nominated.. Bond to bind Morcha 3 to agitation... .साझाको सवाल सकियो- क्रामाकपाले अब के गर्छ? ... विक्रम चुनावी प्रचारको निम्ति कालेबुङमा

KalimNews, Kalmpong, 24 March:  GJM today nominated candidates for its three hill seats. In the central committee meeting held today Dr Harka Bahadur Chhetri from Kalimpong, Dr Rohit Sharma from Kurseong and former IAS officer Triloke Dewan from Darjeeling were nominated as candidates of GJM for the forth coming Bidhan Sabha election.
(SNS and agencies): Dr Harkha Bahadur Chettri is the spokesperson of the Morcha. A teacher of St. George High School Pedong, Dr Chettri entered politics in 1981 as a member of the Sanjukta Vidyarthi Sangh and actively supported the GNLF agitation in 1983. Since then he is in active politics . He was an activist of SOBRE a Bhutan refugee support organisation during the late 80s and a one time editor of a vernacular daily published from Sikkim. He is a freelance writer and critic.
Mr Trilok Dewan, nominee from Darjeeling, is an retired IAS officer of the 1969 batch and was former chief secretary to the government of Andhra Pradesh. An ex-Army man, Mr Dewan also fought in the 1967 Bangladesh war. The GJMM candidate from Kurseong, Dr Rohit Sharma who joined the party in 2008,  is currently the head of Commerce department in Kurseong College. The later two are members of study forum a think tank of GJM central committee.  GJM had earlier declared that it will select nonpolitical candidates for the poll.
At Gymkhana Club of Darjeeling, the party held a central committee meeting. The decision was taken after a fact-finding committee appointed by the Morcha to make an assessment on whether the party should take part in the elections or they should support some other party, gave the go-ahead to the party to participate in the elections. In fact at the meeting there was a heated debate between those who were in favour of taking part in the election and those who were against it.
it will support any candidate from an anti-Left alliance for the seats of Dhupguri, Malbazar, Kumargram, Fulbari, Fansidewa (all in Jalpaiguri district) and Siliguri in Darjeeling district.
23 GLP cadres along with commander Anup kumar Chamling alias Eagle were arrested for possessing 17 Khukri in their vehicle in Lebong Cart Road. They were released on bail by CJM , Darjeeling. Later Col R P Allay chief of GLP said that GLPs were carrying the Khukuris for Shanti Puja in Khumani and returning back in the two vehicles. 
साझाको सवाल सकियो- क्रामाकपाले अब के गर्छ?
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 23 मार्च।अन्तमा मोर्चाले सबै दललाई लोप्पा खुवायो। मोर्चाले अन्तमा आफ्नै उम्मेद्वार खड़ा गर्ने भयो। विधानसभा चुनाउको सन्दर्भ अघि अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको वकालत गर्दै मोर्चा एक्लै थियो। अरू सबै साना दलहरू एक थिए। विधानसभा चुनाउलाई मौका पार्दै मोर्चाले सबै दलसित क्लोज गरेको सम्बन्धको च्याप्टर ओपन गर्‍यो। विधानसभा चुनाउ गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति जनमत देखाउने ठूलो अवसर मान्दै सबैसित साझा उम्मेद्वारिताको कुरा मोर्चाले गर्‍यो, जसलाई सबै दलले आत्मबाट नै समर्थन गर्‍यो। यता भागोपले पनि सर्वसम्मत उम्मेद्वारकै वकालत गरेर साझा उम्मेद्वारको परिवेश निर्णाण गर्नमा सहयोगी भूमिका खेल्यो। मोर्चाले सबै दललाई बैठकको निम्ति बलायो तर त्यसअघि नै अखिल भारतीय गोर्खालीग एक्लै लड्ने अनि कंग्रेस, तृणमूल कंग्रेस अनि भाजपाले मोर्चासितको सहमतिमा चुनाउ जित्नै रणनीति बुनिसकेको थियो।
लीग बैठकमा आएन अनि भन्यो, मोर्चाले अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको निम्ति जनमत देखाउन सबै दललाई फकाई फुस्लाई गर्ने काम गर्दैछ। लीगले मोर्चाको बैठकलाई षड़यन्त्र कै रूपले हेर्‍यो। कंग्रेसको हाइ कमाण्डले जिल्ला कंग्रेसलाई मोर्चासित हातेमालो गर्न खुल्ला छोड़ेको छैन। कंग्रेसले गोरामुमोसित पनि हात मिलाउन सक्ने सम्भावना छ, किन भने गोरामुमोसित गोर्खाल्याण्डको नभएर छैटौं अनुसूचीको मुद्दा छ। गोरामुमोसित हात मिलाउँदा बङ्गालको भोटलाई कुनै असर गर्दैन। तृणमूल कंग्रेसले पहाड़को तीनवटा आसन कंग्रेसको टाउकोमा हालेर गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दाबाट पन्सिने काम गरिसकेको छ।। तृणमूल कंग्रेसले बरू 100 दिनमा नै पहाड़को विकास गर्ने तर गोर्खाल्याण्ड वा बङ्गभङ्गको पक्षमा कहिल्यै नजाने बङ्गालका भोटर्सलाई स्पष्ट पारेर गोर्खाहरूको दाबीमाथि आफ्नो दलीय नीति स्पष्ट पार्‍यो। राष्ट्रिय कुनै पनि दलले पहाड़को तीनोटा आसनमाथि लोभ गर्न यसकारण सक्दैन कि तीनोटा आसनको कारण बङ्गालका धेरै आसन गुमाउने डर ती दलहरूसित छ। कुनै पनि दलले बङ्गालमा छुट्टै राज्यको वकालत गर्न यसकारण सक्दैन कि 34 वर्षे शासनमा माकपाले बङ्गालका बङ्गाली भोटर्सलाई बङ्गाल विभाजन गर्न दिइन नहुने शिक्षा प्रदान गरिसकेको छ।
गोर्खाल्याण्ड भन्ने वित्तिकै बङ्गभङ्ग बुझ्ने भोटर्सहरूको सामु कुनै पनि दलले पहाड़ र गोर्खाहरूको मुद्दालाई माया गरिरहन सक्दैन। राजनैतिक चलखेलहरूको कारण गोर्खाल्याण्ड मुद्दा बङ्गालका दलहरूलाई भोट तान्ने मशिन भएको छ। यो कुरा मोर्चालाई राम्ररी नै थाहा छ। विधानसभा चुनाउसित गोर्खाल्याण्ड जोड़ेर परिवेशलाई फेरि भावानात्मक बनाइने कोशिषमा लागेका पहाड़का कतिपय दलहरूले यसपालीको मत गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति होइन विकास कै निम्ति दिनेछन्‌। बङ्गालको एसेम्बलीमामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको बील पारित हुने कतैबाट पनि सम्भावना छैन। यस्तोमा गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति जनमत देखाइरहनुपर्ने अनिवार्यताको कुरा पनि विवादित हुनेछ।
गोर्खाल्याण्डको नभएर राजनैतिक वर्चस्वको निम्ति नै पहाड़का दलहरूले चुनाउमा अंशग्रहण गर्नेछन्‌। मोर्चा यसका निम्ति अघिबाट नै तयारीमा रहेको थियो। यसकारण सबै दलसित साझा उम्मेद्वारिताको कुरा गरेर विपक्षहरूको एकतालाई भङ्ग गरिसकेपछि मोर्चाले आफ्नै उम्मेद्वार दिइरहेको छ। साझा उम्मेद्वारको सपना देख्ने दलहरूलाई जिल्लै पारेर मोर्चाले आफ्नो उम्मेद्वार नै दिने भए पनि विपक्ष शक्ति दह्रो रहेको छ। क्रामाकपाले मोर्चालाई आजसम्म नै बैठकको निर्णयलाई कदर गर्दै पर्खियो। तर मोर्चाले आफ्नो वास्तविकता देखाएपछि क्रामाकपा पनि रणनीति निर्माणमा लागिसकेको छ। अब केवल क्रामाकपाले मात्र चुनावी रणनीति खुलासा गरेको छैन। 
नामाङ्‌कनको अन्तिम समय 31 मार्च रहेकोले क्रामाकपाले त्यसदिनसम्म पर्खिन सक्ने सम्भावना छ। कंग्रेसका उम्मेद्वारबारे अझसम्म कुनै कुरा स्पष्ट छैन। युजीआरएफ, गोरानिमोको चुनावी रणनीति प्रकट भएकै छैन। सबै दलले आ-आफ्नो उम्मेद्वार दिने र लड्ने भए पनि पहाड़को दोस्रो बलियो दल क्रामाकपा गतिलै फ्याक्टर हुने देखिएको छ। क्रामाकपाले मोर्चालाई सघाउने हो कि आफ्नै उम्मेद्वार दिने हो वा बौद्धिक मतको कुरा गर्ने हो 31 मार्चपछि मात्र चुनाउको आखड़ाबारे स्पष्ट चित्र अघि आउने छ।
विक्रम चुनावी प्रचारको निम्ति कालेबुङमा
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 23 मार्च। वामपन्थी दल भाकपाबाट कालेबुङको आशनमा विक्रम छेत्रीलाई उम्मेद्वार बनाइएको छ। तिनले मोर्चाको डा.हर्कबाहादुर छेत्री अनि गोरामुमोका प्रकाश दहालसित प्रतिद्वन्द्विता गर्नेछन्‌। गोर्खालीगले अहिलेसम्म कालेबुङ आसनमा उठाउने उम्मेद्वारबारे खुलासा गरेको छैन। लीगका प्रतिनिधिहरूमा प्रताप खाती, त्रिभुवन राई अनि छेवाङ भोटिया बाहेक अन्य कोही पनि परिचित छैनन्‌। उनीहरूबीच नै लीगले उम्मेद्वार खड़ा गर्ने हुन्‌ वा अरू कोही नै उम्मेद्वार हुनेछन्‌, यो कुरा 27 मार्चको दिन नै खुलासा हुनेछ। 
क्रामाकपाले 27 मार्चको दिन नै चुनावी रणनीति स्पष्ट पार्नेछ। यता युजिआरएफले पनि चुनाउ लड्ने भएको छ। गारानिमोका दावा पाखरिन मौन रहेका छन्‌ भने भाजपाले उम्मेद्वार उठाउनेबारे कुनै निश्चित छैन। कालेबुङमा कंग्रेस उम्मेद्वारका सम्भावित उम्मेद्वारको निम्ति अहिले प्रविन गुरूङको नाम अघि आएको छ। दिलीप प्रधानले मिठाई बॉंड़ेर आफूले टिकट पाउने निश्चित रहेको बताए पनि आजभोली नै वास्तविकता अघि आउने छ। आज भाकपाका उम्मेद्वार विक्रम छेत्री कालेबुङ आएका थिए। तिनले चुनावी प्रचारको निम्ति कालेबुङका माकपा नेतृत्वसित कुराकानी गर्न आएको जनाए। तिनले 28 तारिकको दिन नै नामाङ्‌कन भर्ने बताएका छन्‌। आज तिनले नामाङ्‌कन पत्र ग्रहण गरेका छन्‌।

Bond to bind Morcha 3 to agitation - candidates declared

(From left) Trilok Dewan, Rohit Sharma and Harka Bahadur Chhetri at Gymkhana Club Hall in Darjeeling on Thursday. Picture by Suman Tamang

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, March 24: Bimal Gurung has decided to go it alone in the polls — banking on the Gorkhaland card and demanding that his three hill candidates sign a bond promising to resign as legislators or go on fast in front of the Assembly whenever the statehood agitation demands it.

The Morcha has fielded Trilok Dewan from Darjeeling, Rohit Sharma from Kurseong and Harka Bahadur Chhetri from Kalimpong.

The announcement of the names was preceded by a lot of histrionics at the Gymkhana Club Hall. The Morcha chief at first asked the 4,000-odd supporters whether the party should field its own candidate or support some other party.

“I have said the Morcha was not born for election politics. Nevertheless, after 40 months of agitation, we are bound by compulsions and are in a difficult phase. I do not want to take a single-handed decision and will want to hear all opinions,” he told the audience.

He first called for a voice vote and with the overwhelming majority wanting the party to field its own candidate, the Morcha chief asked them to raise their hands if they supported the idea.

However, before rattling off the names of the three candidates, Gurung said: “Whoever is the candidate, he must sign a bond stating that he would withdraw or resign at any moment. The bond must also state that they will be willing to sit on a hunger strike in front of the Assembly.

“This is the people’s movement and the people’s voice should always be respected,” he told the candidates.

While Darjeeling candidate Dewan is a 65-year-old retired chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh, Sharma is an associate professor of Kurseong College. Morcha spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chhetri, 53, is a well-known academician in Kalimpong from where he is contesting.

Dewan, who belongs to the 1969 IAS batch, also fought the 1971-Bangladesh war as a Captain with the 11 Gorkha Rifles. Although not a Morcha central committee member, Dewan is part of the party’s Study Forum and was a participant in all tripartite meetings between the state, Centre and the Morcha.

Sharma, a member of the Morcha’s central committee, entered politics only after the party was formed in 2007. Chhetri, a doctorate holder in botany and the party spokesperson, is the most well known political face and is currently a science teacher at St George’s School in Pedong, Kalimpong.

“Earlier, we had no weapons to fight the state government. We will now have a weapon to fight the government on the floor of the Assembly,” said Chhetri. The Morcha spokesperson was also the general secretary of the ABGL in 2004, when Madan Tamang was the party president. He was also a well known face of the support group of the Bhutanese refugees.

The Morcha sounded confident of victory. “We must vote en masse to send a clear message about our Gorkhaland demand. I will request even the chief minister of Sikkim to grant two days leave to people from the Darjeeling hills who are currently working in the state so that they can come over to vote,” said Gurung.

Khukuris seized

Police seized around 1000 litres of foreign liquor from the house of Dawa Lama, the treasurer of the Morcha, and recovered 17 khukuris from alleged Gorkhaland Personnel cadres last night.

Lama, who owns a liquor off-shop in town, is absconding.

Darjeeling police chief D.P. Singh said: “Yesterday Dawa Lama was seen with some people who had warrants pending against them. We asked him to bring these people to the police station but he did not co-operate. ”

He has been booked under the Bengal Excise Act.

1 killed 8 injured

Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, GEYZING, March 24: One police constable was killed and eight people including two children were injured in two separate vehicular accidents in West Sikkim. Journalist Madhu Sharma is also among the injured.

The first accident was reported at 1 pm from Legship bazaar where a private car slipped some 200 ft down the Baisari bridge killing the lone occupant. The deceased has been identified as Benu Rai (30), a constable of Nayabazaar police station. He had come to Tashiding on March 23 and was returning back to his post today.  The second incident took place at Chingthang along Legship-Rondu road at around 2 pm. A taxi vehicle (SK04-8078) going towards Rongdu slipped down the difficult road and crashed some 200 ft below injuring all the eight occupants in various degrees.

One Prakash Subba is said to have suffered serious injuries and have been referred to Siliguri from Geyzing district hospital. Others have been referred to Gangtok.

Those referred to Gangtok includes three years old Manas Sharma and six years old Tusar Sharma along with their mother Naina Kala Sharma and caretaker Pooja Chhetri. The legs of Manas are suspected to have been fractured during the accident as the cement bags carried by the vehicle crashed into the victim.

Journalist Madhu Sharma is also among those injured along with driver Dhan Bahadur Chhetri and owner Gopal Subba. 

Plea for tea talks

TT, Darjeeling, March 24: The Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA) — the apex body of all tea producers’ associations in India — today asked the state’s labour department to immediately convene a meeting to discuss the revision of garden workers’ wages.

The CCPA appeal came at a time the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-affiliated union is set to stop the dispatch of sample tea bags from the hill gardens from tomorrow.

The garden owners said they would discuss the wage revision “in conformity with well established practices towards a composite agreement covering all sections of the West Bengal tea industry.” This means that the discussion must be carried out with all operating tea unions in Bengal and that no separate parleys could be held only with the Morcha’s union.

Memenchu to have hydro power project

Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, Gangtok, March 24: One of the virgin tourist spot of Sikkim, the pristine Memenchu lake surrounded by green forests close to the Indo-China border of Nathu La is set to have its own power generating unit in shape of a micro hydel power project that will supply electricity to its tourism infrastructure. It will be one of the highest mini hydel power projects in the State. The Memenchu lake in East Sikkim, some 52 kms away from here, lies at an altitude of 13,500 ft between the mountains below the famed Jalep La pass and is the source of Rangpo river where at least two mega power projects are coming up. The lake is famous for its trout with the State government setting up a trout breeding farm. It also has some lodges belonging to different government agencies where tourists can stay overnight and do some angling or rest in the quiet natural surroundings.

However, lack of power has deterred tourists and anglers to visit this tourism destination. It is informed that the tourism department’s proposal to set up a 12.5 KW mini hydel power project in Memenchu area has been recently sanctioned by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy along with a dozen other mini hydel projects in Sikkim through the Sikkim Renewable Energy Development Agency (SREDA).

The Memenchu project has been estimated at a cost of Rs. 22.6 crores out which Rs. 12.75 crores comes as Central assistance. Rest will be borne by the Sikkim government. The total land required for the project is some 0.02 hectares.

“The power generated from the proposed mini hydel power project would be supplied to the lodges and other tourism facilities in the Memenchu area. Remaining power will got to the nearby Baba Mandir complex and locals. We are in the planning process and the project will be implemented within six months”, said tourism secretary SBS Bhadauria.

The tourism secretary informed that presently the Memenchu lake area does not have power supply. “It is our objective to generate power from natural resources to supply power for consumption in tourism areas of Sikkim making them self-sustainable and government expenses are cut down. The Memenchu project is our pilot project and if it is successful, we will go for similar ventures in other tourism areas using hydel and wind resources to generate power for local consumption”, said Bhadauria.

With the project falling in a forest area, the tourism secretary said that the government will be taking clearances from the concerned authorities. It is a simple project and the forest area will not be disturbed, he said.

विश्व शान्ति पूजा शुरू

कालेबुङ, 24 मार्च। ह्याङसाप गुम्पा अनि स्थानीय गाउँवासीको युक्त आयोजनामा बुम पाठ एवं विश्व शान्ति पूजा यहॉंको पुदुङ बस्तीमा हिजोदेखि शुरू भएको छ। गतवर्षदेखि गरिएको यो पूजा यसवर्ष सिन्देबुङ ह्याङसाप गुम्पा नजिकको मैदानमा शुरू गरिएकोछ। यस पूजामा सिलगढ़ीका गुरू रिम्पोछे साङ्गे धार्पोको विशेष उपस्थिति रहेको थियो। विश्वशान्तिको कामना गर्दै कामना गर्दै जयगाउँ, पेदोङ आदि क्षेत्रबाट 22 जना बौद्ध लामाहरूले पॉंच दिवसीय बुम पाठ गरिरहेका छन्‌। 

पूजा आयोजक समितिले जानकारी गराए अनुसार पूजा 27 मार्चसम्म रहनेछ। 25 मार्चदेखि मुख्यगरी बिरामीहरूको निम्ति रिम्पोछे साङ्गे धार्पोद्वारा प्रार्थना गरिने भएको छ। गत वर्षदेखि आयोजना गर्दै आएको पूजालाई समितिले निरन्तरता दिने भएको छ। गत वर्ष रिम्पोछे साङ्गे धार्पोले नै पूजा गरेका थिए भने उनको प्रार्थनापछि धेरै बिरामीहरू स्वस्थ बनेको पूजा समितिले बताएको छ। पूजामा बोङबस्ती, इच्छे, सिन्देबुङ, पुदुङ अनि वरिपरि क्षेत्रका भक्तहरूको उपस्थिति रहेको थियो। प्रत्येक बेलुकी पूजामा साई समितिले भजन कीर्तन गरिरहेको जनाइएको छ भने 25 मार्चदेखि हुने प्रार्थना कार्यक्रममा सबै किसिमका बिरामी तथा धर्मावलम्बीहरूलाई उपस्थित बनिदिने आयोजक समितिका सचिव हेमकुमार सुब्बाले अनुरोध गरेका छन्‌।

विश्व जल दिवस भव्यताको साथमा पालन

जोरथाङ, 24 मार्च। डब्लुडब्लुएफ इण्डिया कञ्चनजंघा ल्याण्डस्केप प्रोग्रामको तत्परतामा विश्व जल दिवस 2011 भव्यताको साथमा पालन गरियो । दक्षिण सिक्किमको जोरथाङ नजिक राज्य ग्रामिण विकास संस्थान (स्रेडा)-सित संयुक्त रूपमा आयोजन गरिएको यस कार्यक्रममा राज्यको चारै जिल्लाका पाठशालाका विद्यार्थीहरूले भाग लिएका थिए। यसअवसरमा जलको गुणस्तर जाँच, फिल्म प्रदर्शन तथा अन्य प्रतिर्स्पधा आयोजन गरिएको थियो।

विद्यार्थीहरूले बडो उत्साहको साथमा भाग लिएका थिए।राज्यका जम्मा 13 स्कूलका विद्यार्थीले भाग लिएका थिए। जसमा उत्तर जिल्लाका सातवटा अनि पूर्व जिल्लाका 6 वटा स्कूलले भाग लिएका थिए। कार्यक्रममा मुख्य अतिथिको रूपमा विधायक मदन सिञ्चुरी उपस्थित थिए। यसैगरि स्रेडाका निर्देशक पीएन तामाङ, अतिरिक्त निर्देशक एच के शर्मा, डीएफओ उदय गुरूङ, संयुक्त निर्देशक स्रेडा विशाल राई तथा अन्य प्रतिनिधि उपस्थित थिए।

कार्यक्रममा पोस्टर प्रतियोगिता आयोजन गरिएको थियो। जसमा देवीथान विलुप्त हुन लागेको परम्परा शिर्षक रहेको थियो। डब्लुडब्लुएफको प्रभारी प्रियदर्शनी श्रेष्ठले दिएको जानकारी अनुसार प्रतियोगियामा प्रथम पुरस्कार गेजिङ उच्चत्तर कन्या पाठशालले जित्न सफल भयो भने रूम्तेक स्कूल दोस्रो पुरस्कार प्रदान गऱियो। यसैगरि गीत प्रतियोगितामा पीएनजी कन्या पाठशालाले पुरस्कार जित्यो। जसमा यिसे लह्मु भोटियाले उक्त पुरस्कार हत्याइन। तादोङ उच्चत्तर माध्यमिक विद्यालयका विद्यार्थी झऱना कौर दोस्रो भइऩ। पानी बारे हाजिरी जवाफ प्रतियोगिता आयोजन गरियो भने तिस्ता नदीको कथा नामक वृत्तचित्र प्रदर्शन गिरएको थियो। कार्यक्रममा विजयी विद्यार्थीहरूलाई विधायक सिञ्चुरीले वधाइदिए। 

बाबा मन्दीर र क्योङन्सलामा ट्राउट फार्मिङ गरिने

गान्तोक, 24 मार्च। राज्यका उपभोक्ताको बड्दो मासु र माछाको मागलाई ध्यानमा राखेर पशुधन तथा पशुपालन विभागको अधिनस्थ रहेको मत्स्य पालन निदेशालयले पूर्व सिक्किमको क्योङन्सला र बाबा मन्दिरमा ट्राउट माछा पालन गर्ने निधों गर्दै पूर्वाधारको विकास शुरु गरेको छ। उक्त निर्माणाधिन पूर्वाधारको निरिक्षण विभागीय सचिव डीपी शर्मा अनि अन्य अधिकारीहरूले दुइ परियोजनाको निर्माणाधिन परियोजनालाई निश्चित समयावधीमै पुरा गरिने निरिक्षण पछि विश्वास व्यक्त गरेका छन्। यसैगरि परियोजना निर्माण कार्यमा

हिमपात र सडक विस्तारीकरणले केही ढिलाई भएको भए पनि गुणस्तरमा कुनै सम्झौता नगरिने निर्देश दिएको छ। यसका साथै केन्द्र सरकारको मत्स्यपालन विकास बोर्डका प्रतिनिधिहरूले पनि यस निर्माणाधिन परियोजनाको निरिक्षण गरिसकेको जानकारी सूचना तथा जनसम्पर्क विभागले दिएको छ। विभागीय सचीव शर्माले परियोजना निर्माणमा कुनै प्रकारको कमी तथा पर्यावरणलाई क्षति पुऱ्याउनु नहुने निर्देश दिएका छन्।

Cong rebel threat in four seats 

- Snipe at the ‘unworthy

Congress leaders at the press meet in Siliguri on Thursday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

TT, March. 24: Congress leaders dissatisfied with the move to give tickets to “unworthy” candidates and seat adjustments with the Trinamul Congress have decided to field Independents in at least four Assembly seats in north Bengal.

Around 100 Congress leaders in the Siliguri subdivision today threatened to quit from the posts they held in the party and in the local bodies if their nominees were not fielded in Matigara-Naxalbari and Phansidewa. They were opposed to the candidature of Darjeeling district Congress president Shankar Malakar in Matigara-Naxalbari and Janus Lakra in Phansidewa.

“We have come to know from sources that Malakar will contest from Matigara-Naxalbari, while another person, little known in the party, will be fielded in Phansidewa,” Phanibhusan Roy, the Naxalbari block Congress president, told a news conference here today.

“We oppose both the unworthy candidates and if Amar Sinha and Carlus Lakra are not chosen, they will contest as Independents from Matigara-Naxalbari and Phansidewa respectively.”

Congress leaders from all four blocks in the subdivision attended the media conference and expressed their annoyance with the candidate list prepared by the party leadership.

“The Congress has more than 100 members in panchayats, panchayat samities and Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad. They all will resign from the posts and work for the Independents. All of us will quit the posts in the party also,” said Roy

Bablu Sarkar, the district secretary of the Congress, accused Malakar of “hiding his intentions.” “On several occasions, names of prospective candidates were discussed. The district president had never expressed his wish to contest from any seat. But his name figured in the list submitted to the PCC,” he said.

Malakar, who was in Delhi, could not be contacted.

Congress dissidents will contest from Chopra in North Dinajpur and Manikchak in Malda also. The two seats have been set aside for Trinamul.

In Chopra, Congress leader Hamidul Rehman, who had won against Trinamul as an “Independent” in 2001, has decided to take the same route with the backing of supporters.

In Malda, dissident Congress members have decided to field former MLA Ramprabesh Mondal as an Independent in Manikchak to protest the party’s decision to allot the seat to Trinamul.