Backseat Drivers

At stake is not just one LS seat, the results will also reveal who has maximum clout among the Gorkhas - Bimal Gurung, Anit Thapa or Ajoy Edwards

- Arkamoy Datta Majumdar

It is a pleasant 20-24 degrees centigrade in Darjeeling—the erstwhile summer capital of the Raj and a popular tourist destination in north Bengal—even as the rest of the state and the country brace for an intense summer. The mild weather, however, can do little to cool the heat of the general election, as political parties and candidates gear up for a pitched battle in this Lok Sabha seat nestled in the foothills of the Himalaya. The constituency, comprising parts of Uttar Dinajpur, Kalimpong and Darjeeling districts, goes to the polls on April 26. The key players are Bimal Gurung—the former face of the Gorkhaland Movement which remains the most important political issue here—his one-time deputy Anit Thapa, and Ajoy Edwards, owner of the town’s iconic Glenary’s bakery and restaurant and founder of the Hamro Party (HP). The trio may not be contesting the election themselves but, as power brokers, their support is being seen as crucial for the candidates in the fray. At stake is not just one Lok Sabha seat, but also Gurung, Edwards and Thapa’s hold on public opinion.