Will sever ties with BJP in 2024 if Gorkhaland issue not resolved: GJM

Kolkata, Sep 26 (IANS) Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has served an ultimatum to BJP on severing ties with it for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls unless the issue of the separate Gorkhaland statehood is resolved before that.

The member of the youth wing of GJM has handed over a memorandum to the Union minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik and the Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs John Barla, both Lok Sabha members from West Bengal, on this count.

Confirming this, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said on Tuesday that unless Union government fulfills the long standing promise of a permanent political solution in the hills of Darjeeling in North Bengal, which includes the issue of separate Gorkhaland statehood, BJP will have to forego the support from GJM in 2024.

"The Gorkhas of Darjeeling have lost faith in the fake promises of a permanent political solution in the hills. So if BJP wants our support to ensure their victory in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency in 2024 as well, they will have to fulfil their promises before the polls. Otherwise, we will withdraw our support to BJP and contest independently,” Giri said.

The development took place a few days after the GJM supreme Bimal Gurung led a protest- demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi voicing the demand for separate Gorkhaland statehood.

Political observers said that the ultimatum from GJM has posed a serious concern for the BJP leadership as it is proven that without the back of the Gorkha forces the saffron camp will not be able to sail through in Darjeeling in 2024 on its own organisational strength. It was because of the overwhelming backing from GJM that BJP candidates emerged as victors from Darjeeling Lok Sabha for three consecutive terms in 2009, 2014 and 2019.

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