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VIVEK CHHETRI

Darjeeling, March 20: The GNLF today maintained that election was not its priority, at a time when the government has decided to hold the DGHC poll in the next six months.

“Elections can happen anytime, but only if our demand for an alternative to the council is met. We would also want a constitutional guarantee to the present council. Instead of talking about holding election within the next six months, the government should concentrate on this primary issue,” said Shanta Chhetri, the Kurseong MLA.

Just when the government is desperately trying to make peace by acceding to most of Subash Ghisingh’s demands, the GNLF’s “real stand” on the council could cause great problem.

Though the government seems to have worked out “a temporary solution” by virtually making Ghisingh the caretaker, observers believe that in order to hold elections within the next six months, the state should start negotiating with the GNLF leader on the “alternative to the council”.

However, since Ghisingh has refused to spell out “the alternative”, the talks could turn out to be a muddle.

“The alternative to the council could be anything that the state and the central governments can give us,” Ghisingh had earlier said, adding that “it should be done keeping in mind the defence of the country”.

Observers believe Ghisingh’s refusal to divulge his “alternative” is aimed at pressuring the government into defering the election so that it is held at his convenience. The GNLF leaders are also unsure when their leader would want the elections in the hills.

However, the possibility of there being no elections even after the interim arrangement comes to an end in another six months does not augur well for the welfare of the hills.

The caretaker provision will not allow the new dispensation to carry on any development work or take any major policy decision.

“A caretaker provision will only help ensure that the day-to-day functioning of the DGHC goes on smoothly. Things like disbursement of salaries of the staff would not be hampered,” said Chhetri over phone from Calcutta.

The government, too, cannot afford to keep the DGHC suspended for long, as all its councilors will surrender their “powers” to Ghisingh at Lal Khoti tomorrow. This would virtually render the entire DGHC virtually defunct from tomorrow.