Assam BJP leaders rush to Kalimpong to allay Gorkhas' fears of NRC exclusion

GUWAHATI: A team of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Assam, including a sitting MLA , reached North Bengal yesterday in order to allay fears over the exclusion of the Gorkhas from the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The team comprising Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sharma, Chairman of Assam Gorkha Development Prem Tamang, and BJP Secretary Kishore Upadhyaya reached Kalimpong in North Bengal area -- a Gorkha-dominated Seat won by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in 2016.

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"We have seen people of Bengal are in confusion over the NRC issue but it is nothing and no Gorkha people are being excluded from NRC. It is the process of direction from Supreme Court there are D voters but it is under consideration," said Tamang in his bid to assure the people that the NRC would not be an issue.

MLA Sarma, addressing the people through the media, said that the BJP party "will keep everyone safe."

The visit of the Gorkha leaders is seen as the BJP setting the stage for the final rounds of campaigning ahead of the election in the Gorkha-dominated region.

The BJP hopes to consolidate its hold over North Bengal with home minister Amit Shah's campaign and meetings in the three hill seats of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong, and surrounding areas on Monday.

The home minister is expected to stay over at Kurseong in the Darjeeling district to assess the mood of the voters and amplify his party's campaign in the region that votes on April 17.

Shah is likely to lead roadshows at Kalimpong and Siliguri and address public meetings at Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri.

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