Five-cornered contest intensifies in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong as BJP, BGPM, IGJF, Left Front, and Congress battle for dominance. Gorkhaland demand, shifting alliances, and voter sentiment set stage for a high-stakes West Bengal election showdown.
As West Bengal heads into a crucial Assembly election season, the political landscape in the hill constituencies of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong is witnessing a rare and complex five-cornered contest, setting these regions apart from the rest of the state.
While most of the 294 Assembly constituencies are gearing up for a conventional four-way electoral fight involving the All India Trinamool Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front with the All India Secular Front, and the Indian National Congress, the hill constituencies are witnessing an additional player that has significantly altered the electoral dynamics.
The entry of the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF), led by Ajoy Edwards, has transformed the contests in these regions into five-cornered battles. The IGJF is competing independently against the BJP, supported by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) founded by Bimal Gurung; the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) led by Anit Thapa; the Left Front-AISF alliance; and the Congress.
Political analysts believe that IGJF’s decision to contest independently could be a decisive factor in shaping the electoral outcome in the hills, where Gorkha voters traditionally play a pivotal role. The fragmentation of votes among multiple hill-centric parties is expected to create unpredictable results, making these constituencies among the most closely watched in the state.
Different political camps, however, are offering contrasting interpretations of IGJF’s impact. Leaders from the BJP and its ally GJM argue that IGJF, being perceived as an anti-BJP force in the hills, will primarily split the anti-BJP vote bank. According to them, this division could work in favor of the BJP-GJM alliance, improving their chances of securing victories in all three constituencies.
On the other hand, the BGPM, which enjoys the backing of the ruling Trinamool Congress, contends that IGJF’s presence will erode the BJP-GJM’s traditional support base among Gorkha voters. BGPM leaders claim that this shift could give their candidates a strategic advantage in the tightly contested hill seats.
Rejecting both narratives, IGJF chief Ajoy Edwards asserted that his party’s entry into the fray is driven not by electoral arithmetic but by a larger political objective. He emphasized growing public dissatisfaction in the hills over the lack of a permanent political solution, particularly regarding the long-standing demand for a separate Gorkhaland state.
Edwards stated that IGJF aims to provide a credible alternative that can effectively raise the issues of the hill population in the Assembly. “We are not here to cut into anyone’s vote share. We are here to win all three seats. Our primary agenda is Gorkhaland and the development of the hills,” he said, underlining the party’s independent stance after failed attempts to forge a united front among hill parties.
Meanwhile, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri reiterated his party’s support for the BJP, arguing that only the national party has the political will to address the demand for smaller states, including Gorkhaland. In contrast, BGPM leader Anit Thapa has positioned his party as development-oriented, emphasizing the importance of alignment with the ruling state government to ensure sustained growth and infrastructure development in the hills.
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As campaigning intensifies, the electoral battle in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong is shaping up to be not just a contest of political parties, but also a referendum on identity, governance, and the future of the Gorkhaland movement. With multiple stakeholders and competing narratives, the outcome in these hill constituencies could have far-reaching implications for West Bengal’s political landscape.
