Denied ticket, BJP MLA files papers as Independent

New Delhi, March 31

BJP MLA from Kurseong Bishnu Prasad Sharma has filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat. He will take on party’s official candidate Raju Bista.

Prasad said he decided to challenge Bista, the sitting MP from Darjeeling, since he was originally from Manipur.

Bista, who has been fielded by the party for the second time, has conveyed his best wishes to Prasad and said had Prasad resigned from the Assembly before filing his papers, people would have appreciated his decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls.

On the issue of being an “outsider”, Bista said, “As an MP, I have done my job seriously for the people here in the last five years. Even though I was born in Manipur, I respect Darjeeling as my work place and I am committed to do my job sincerely.”

Darjeeling BJP MLA Neeraj Zimba, while criticising Prasad, said he should have resigned from the party and stepped down as an MLA before filing his papers.

Party MLA from Siliguri Shankar Ghosh said he would request Prasad to withdraw his nomination.