BJP considers nominating ex-foreign secy Shringla to retain Darjeeling

Shawdesh Desk:

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is considering nominating ex-foreign secretary Harshvardhan Shringla to secure the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal.

India’s prominent online news site, ajbikel.com, published a report on Thursday in this regard citing a party insider.

For the past three consecutive elections in Darjeeling, West Bengal, the BJP has secured victory, with Raju Bista currently serving as the incumbent Member of Parliament representing the party.

However, the party leadership is “concerned” about Raju Bista’s performance, prompting a search for a potentially more popular nominee, according to the report.

According to internal reports, local voters reportedly feel Bista has not adequately addressed the region’s development needs.

As a result, the BJP high command is contemplating Harshvardhan Shringla as a potential candidate to attract the floating voters, replacing Raju Bista.

As a career-long diplomat, Shringla holds a notable stature and name recognition.

He served as an ambassador in the US and Bangladesh and significantly contributed to coordinating the G20 Summit.

For these reasons, the BJP high command considers that fielding Shringla would send a strong message to Darjeeling voters, demonstrating the party’s commitment to the region’s development, according to the report.