GNLF declares support for Trinamool Congress candidate in Darjeeling

DARJEELING: The Gorkha National Liberation Front of Subash Ghising Friday declared its support for Trinamool Congress candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency Baichung Bhutia.

Making the announcement after a GNLF central committee meeting here, spokesman Dhiren Lama said the Hill body has also appealed to the Central and the State Governments to restore the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council which, it claimed, had not been dissolved.

Earlier in March, the Trinamool Congress leadership had approached the GNLF seeking its support for its candidate after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha declared its support for the BJP candidate S S Ahluwalia.

The TMC leadership feared that it would stand to lose a considerable portion of Hill votes because of the party's bitter relationship with the Morcha.

Lama said that the GNLF has invited State Minister Gautam Deb to the GNLF foundation day meeting Saturday. PTI