The BJP has started groundwork for the long-overdue civic elections in Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik by forming a municipal election committee, beginning preparations for a contest that could test its independent strength in the hills.
Bharat Chetri, the BJP MLA from Kalimpong and a former captain of the Indian men’s hockey team, said the party had started work for the municipal elections.
“We have started preparation for the municipality elections and have formed a committee for this purpose,” Chetri said.
The 16-member committee includes senior leaders such as BJP Darjeeling hills president Sanjeev Lama, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista and Chetri.
Party leaders said it would seek feedback from residents, party leaders and cadres to prepare an agenda and manifesto for the elections.
Although the formation of a party committee does not amount to an election announcement, the preparations assume significance with the BJP now in power in Bengal, said an observer.
The three civic bodies last went to polls in 2017.
Their five-year terms expired in 2022, but fresh elections were not held. The then Trinamool Congress government subsequently appointed boards of administrators to run them.
BGPM leaders headed the appointed boards in Kalimpong and Kurseong, while a Trinamool leader headed the Mirik board. The BGPM is a hill ally of Trinamool.
Many had raised questions about democratic accountability in institutions responsible for everyday civic services due to the prolonged absence of elected bodies.
In May this year, the new BJP state government replaced the nominated boards with subdivisional officers as administrators.
For the BJP, which has never won control of a hill municipality, the polls could offer an opportunity to establish its organisational reach beyond parliamentary and Assembly elections, observers believe.
“The contest would be particularly significant if the party fights independently, as indicated by party leaders.”
The BJP’s principal hill allies have included the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM). These parties have maintained that their support has been crucial to BJP victories in the region since the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
“A municipal contest fought independently could provide a clearer indication of the BJP’s own support after coming to power in Bengal and influence all future negotiations with its allies,” the observer added.
Many believe that a strong solo performance by the BJP could put immense pressure on parties like the Morcha and GNLF to prove their continuing relevance in hill politics.