Jaswant Singh files nomination from Darjeeling

BJP's high-profile candidate and former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh today submitted his nomination papers for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat.

Singh has been backed by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha fighting for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Singh, who was accompanied by GJM president Bimal Gurung, Singh's wife, Sheetal Kumari and his secretary Colonel Bhawani Singh, submitted his nomination papers at the office of the Sub-Divisional Officer, Darjeeling, B K Biswas.

Thousands of GJM workers and supporters with party flags and festoons cheered Singh shouting slogans in his favour.

The veteran BJP leader was earlier offered a rousing welcome by the hill people under the GJM banner when he reached the hills on April 7.

During his two-day stay, the BJP leader had several rounds of talks with political parties in the Darjeeling hills and minority communities to ensure that the 5.5 lakh voters in the hills remain undivided.

The constituency, spread over seven assembly segmants, has a total 12,04,589 electorates.

The three hill assembly segments comprising Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Kurseong had a electorate of 5,57,590 while the remaining four assembly segments in the plains, Matigara and Naxalbari, Siliguri, Phansidewa and Chopra had 6,46,999 voters.

Two major contenders for the seat are Jibes Sarkar of CPI-M and sitting Congress MP Dawa Norbula.

GJM's rival GNLF did not file a candidate for the seat and its supremo Subash Ghising is expected to make public his party stand in a rally to be organised in Siliguri on April 12.

According to GNLF sources, it may extend support to the Congress.