Cong joining hands with GJM in Darjeeling

SILIGURI: Is Congress joining hands with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) in Darjeeling? Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee s clear no to any possible division in West Bengal should have put this speculation to rest. But Congress��� probable candidate Dawa Narbula has again complicated the issue.

Mr Narbula, the probable Congress candidate, in his desperation to ensure support from the GJM, said in the local media, Pranab babu had never said anything on the Gorkhaland demand. Immediately, state minister Asok Bhattacharya made the statements of the two Congress leaders an issue.

He said: At the central level, Congress is against any split within West Bengal, but at the local level, Mr Narbula is fuelling the separatist movement. We demand clarifications on this from Mr Mukherjee and Mr Narbula. Mr Narbula won the Lok Sabha polls from Darjeeling in 2004 with support from the then biggest political force in the hills, the Gorkha National Liberation Front.

Ever since the fresh agitation for the separate state of Gorkhaland under the GJM banner, Mr Narbula has always remained soft towards the party. This has made him unpopular among the 8 lakh voters from the plains.