BJP, Cong Candidates in Darjeeling Will Not Be Able to Cast Votes for Themselves

Raju Bista and Dr Munish Tamang, the BJP and Congress candidates respectively from Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency, one of the three in West Bengal going to polls in the second phase on Friday, will not be able to cast their votes for themselves.

This is because neither Bista nor Tamang is a voter from Darjeeling. Both are voters from Delhi since the national capital had been their “workplaces” for years.

Although born in Kalimpong, after his higher studies Tamang had spent almost his entire professional life as an academician in Delhi. Because of this, all his citizenship identity-related documents are based out of the national capital.

Similarly in the case of Bista, a businessman in personal life, have all his professional set-ups based out of the national capital. Although his in-laws are based out of Siliguri, which comes under the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency, Bista himself is a voter from the national capital.

This common factor has resulted in rumblings within their parties as some sections have raised this outsider issue against both of them. The BJP legislator from Kurseong Assembly constituency, one of the seven under Darjeeling Lok Sabha, Bishnu Prasad Sharma, is contesting as an independent candidate this time from Darjeeling to protest against Bista’s nomination.

Similarly, a veteran leader from the hills and Congress’ erstwhile state general secretary Binay Tamang has announced his support for Bista protesting against his party’s nomination to Tamang.

In a way, the rebellion by Sharma against Bista has been diluted to an extent following the announcement by Tamang and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Tamang to extend their support in favour of Bista.

However, Trinamool Congress candidate and former bureaucrat Gopal Lama, is himself a voter for the hills and he started his day on Friday morning by reaching the polling booth and voting for himself.