Siliguri, March 18 -- Dates of the Lok Sabha election have already been announced by the Election Commission but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not fielded their candidate in Darjeeling Parliamentary constituency yet.
Meanwhile, Gopal Lama, Trinamool Congress nominated candidate of Darjeeling Parliamentary Constituency, started campaigning in Siliguri.
On Monday, he started campaigning by participating in a religious ceremony of Kargil martyr's family in Naxalbari.
Later, he offered prayers at a temple in Tarabari area, from where he held a road show where people belonging to different communities participated to preach unity. The road show roamed different areas of Tarabari in Naxalbari under Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad. Arun Ghosh, Sabhadhipati of Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad, Papiya Ghosh, president of Darjeeling district TMC and other TMC leaders were with him. "This field is new to me, but I have the support of experienced Trinamool leaders. I have received a great response and I will surely win in the elections," said Lama. Although, he refrained himself from commenting anything on BJP not announcing its candidate. Gopal Lama went from house-to-house requesting everyone to vote for him. He also went to the house of former Trinamool Congress leader Amar Sinha.
Apart from Naxalbari, he went to Bagdogra, Matigara and held party meetings. BJP won in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency seat thrice. During the last elections, BJP had started campaigning vigorously before the election dates were announced but this time, BJP has not been seen campaigning anywhere in Siliguri Sub-Division. Not only BJP, Congress and CPI(M) and no other parties have announced the candidate names yet. Therefore, TMC is campaigning on an empty field.
TMC leaders are sure about their victory. "Earlier, we were not in power in Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad, Panchayats. But now, We have won these elections. This time, we are determined to win Lok Sabha seats. For that, all the leaders, workers have jumped into the field," said Papiya Ghosh. On the other hand, Nirmal Chandra Roy, TMC nominated candidate of Jalpaiguri Parliamentary constituency also started campaigning in Dabgram-Fulbari constituency on Monday afternoon at Ward 38 in Siliguri.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.