Gorkhaland no longer enough? Political mood is shifting in Darjeeling

The politics of the Darjeeling hills is undergoing a shift ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections, with the long-standing demand for Gorkhaland now sharing space with everyday governance concerns, news agency PTI reported on Sunday.

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From roads and drinking water to tourism, healthcare, and tea garden wages, voters in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong are increasingly weighing delivery alongside identity.

This transition is visible on the ground, where older slogans demanding statehood now coexist with signboards advertising development projects and welfare schemes, the report said. 

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"Earlier, people voted for a Gorkhaland dream. Now they also want to know who will repair the road to their village," a tea garden worker in Kurseong told PTI.

The election has effectively turned into a contest between two competing political frames. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), in alliance with Anit Thapa’s Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), is pitching governance and development, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to revive the demand for a "permanent political solution".

The BGPM, which emerged after the decline of earlier hill parties, is arguing that years of agitation have taken an economic toll and that stability is now essential. "Our politics is about development with dignity. People want roads, water, schools, and jobs. Agitation alone cannot feed families," Thapa said.

The BJP, however, maintains that development initiatives cannot replace the unresolved question of Gorkha identity. Its campaign has once again drawn on alliances with older hill formations, including support from Bimal Gurung’s faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

For decades, the demand for Gorkhaland has defined politics in the region, from the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) agitation in the 1980s to later movements led by the GJM.

The BJP entered this political landscape after 2009 and retained the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat multiple times with support from hill parties while promising a lasting political solution. However, the absence of a resolution has led to fatigue among sections of voters.

The legacy of the 2017 agitation, which disrupted normal life in the hills for over 100 days, continues to shape voter priorities. The economic impact on tourism, education, and tea gardens has made stability and livelihoods central to political discourse.

The TMC has attempted to expand its footprint in the region through its alliance with the BGPM and the extension of welfare schemes. Programmes such as 'Lakshmir Bhandar' have gained traction, particularly among women voters, who now outnumber men in several parts of the district.

At the same time, the BJP is banking on the enduring appeal of the Gorkhaland demand. Its candidates — including Noman Rai in Darjeeling, Bharat Chhetri in Kalimpong, and Sonam Lama in Kurseong — reflect its continued reliance on local networks linked to identity politics.

The presence of Ajoy Edwards-led Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF), which has returned to the core demand for Gorkhaland, adds another dimension to the contest.

In the 2021 assembly elections, the BJP won four of the seven seats in the district, while the TMC and its ally BGPM secured the remaining three. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, however, the BJP led in six of the seven segments.

Voting in West Bengal is scheduled in two phases on April 23 and 29.