PDF jubilant at Ghisingh 'compromise'

DARJEELING: The five-party alliance of the People''s Democratic Front is jubilant.
The Gorkha National Liberation Front''s decision to support their Congress candidate Dawa Norbula is being seen as a major victory for the PDF.
PDF president Madan Tamang said, "It is a victory for PDF. Subash Ghisingh was forced to support the Congress candidate for his political survival as he didn''t have any other alternative.
He had to surrender to the wishes of the people." Tamang, however, insisted that support for the Congress will not do anything for the Gorkhaland cause.
"It is only the people''s wish which can bring about Gorkhaland. The Congress or BJP can do nothing about it," he added.
Recalling the days of the Gorkhaland agitation, Tamang said, "During those years, the people''s wish was predominant, but we failed for lack of an able leader."
The GNLF had boycotted the last three Parliamentary elections. "If the GNLF was such a good ally of the Congress, why did they boycott elections in 1996, 1998 and 1999? This only helped the CPM win the seat," Tamang said.
On the GNLF-CPM nexus, Tamang said, "The two had come together only for power. This has been proved time and again."
Political observers are now busy analysing the consequences of the changed equations in the Hills.
The questions doing the rounds is if the Congress wins the seat this time, will the GNLF take all the credit?
"Dawa Norbula is the PDF''s candidate and we''ll not allow anyone to gain from our victory. GNLF is not a political party but a business house run by Ghisingh," he said.
The PDF has decided to hold a public meeting in Darjeeling on Saturday.