# 2022 Gorkhaland Territorial Administration election

Gorkhaland Territorial Administration election will be held on 26 June 2022 to elect all 45 members of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, in West Bengal state, India.

## Background

The previous election took place in 2012 which was won by GJM. In 2017, all GJM councillors resigned from their posts stating that GTA failed to fulfill their expectations and aspirations of the people. Sooner Binay Tamang was appointed by the Government of West Bengal as acting chairman of the body. Later Anit Thapa was appointed as its acting chairman.
Following the municipal election all over the state, West Bengal State Election Commission announced the date of poll on 27 May 2022. GJM leader and previous chairman of GTA, Bimal Gurung started a hunger strike in demand for the postponement of the election, just after the poll date was announced. BJP also supported Gurung and stated that GTA is not a permanent solution of the Gorkha issues.

## Schedule

The election schedule was declared by West Bengal State Election Commission on 27 May 2022.
| Poll event | Schedule |
| Notification Date | 27 May |
| Last Date for filing nomination | 3 June |
| Scrutiny of nomination | 4 June |
| Last Date for withdrawal of nomination | 6 June |
| Date of poll | 26 June |
| Date of counting of votes | 29 June |

## Parties and alliances

The party which won the last election, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha officially didn't fielded any candidates, however its members contested from all 45 seats as independent candidates. On the other hand, Trinamool Congress, the ruling party in the state confirmed that they will contest from only 10 seats. BGPM broke its alliance with TMC and decided to contest from 36 seats on their own. Newly formed Hamro Party also fielded candidates in all seats.
CPI(M) fielded 12 candidates and Congress fielded 5 candidates in the polls. A total of 277 candidates, including 169 independents, are contesting the GTA election. BJP and its allies - Gorkha National Liberation Front, Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists and All India Gorkha League decided not to contest the GTA election.
| Party | Symbol | Alliance | No. of contesting candidates |
| Independents supported by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Gurung) (GJM(G)) | IND | None | 45 |
| Hamro Party (HP) | IND | None | 45 |
| Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) | IND | None | 35 |
| Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) | | Left Front | 12 |
| All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) | | AITC+ | 10 |
| Indian National Congress (INC) | | UPA | 5 |
| Independents (IND) | None | None | 124 |

## Winning candidates

| Constituency Number | Constituency Name | Winning Candidate | Winning Party | Note |
| Darjeeling Sadar Subdivision |||||
| 1 | Rimbick-Lodhoma | Norden Sherpa | BGPM | |
| 2 | Relling-Kaijalia | Satish Pokhrel | BGPM | |
| 3 | Pul-Bijanbari-Goke | Bhupendra Chettri | HP | Joined BGPM |
| 4 | Bloomfield-Rishihat | Binoy Tamang | TMC | Joined Congress, expelled from Congress later |
| 5 | Tukver | Suraj Rai | Independent | |
| 6 | Lebong-Badamtam | Yogendra Pradhan | BGPM | |
| 7 | Phoobsering-Pandam | Jiten Rai | HP | |
| 8 | Darjeeling-I | Pratim Subba | HP | |
| 9 | Darjeeling-II | Robert Chettri | HP | |
| 10 | Darjeeling-III | Ajoy Edwards | HP | |
| 11 | Darjeeling-IV | Ruben Das Pradhan | HP | |
| 12 | Ghoom-Jorebunglow | Pramoskar Blone | HP | Joined BGPM |
| 13 | Chongtong-Marybong-Tamsang | Sandeep Chettri | BGPM | |
| 14 | Sukhia-Maney Bhanjyang | Uday Dewan | BGPM | |
| 15 | Pokhriabong-Chamung | Noel Bomzon | BGPM | |
| 16 | Nagari-Dhajia | Anjul Chauhan | BGPM | |
| 17 | Rungbull-Dhotria | Rajesh Chauhan | BGPM | |
| Kurseong Subdivision |||||
| 18 | Sonada-Pacheyang | Anos Thapa | BGPM | |
| 19 | Takdah-Glenburn | Sunny Tamang | HP | |
| 20 | Takling-Peshok | Mani Kumar Rai | BGPM | |
| 21 | Takdah-Teesta Valley | Dhendup Pakhrin | BGPM | |
| 22 | Mungpoo-Labdah | Ratan Kumar Thapa | BGPM | |
| 23 | Seeyok-Gopaldhara-Okaity | Dhurba Bomzon | TMC | |
| 24 | Mirik-Thurbo-Duptin | Milesh Rai | TMC | |
| 25 | Soureni | Arun Sigchi | BGPM | |
| 26 | Sukna-Panighatta | Paresh Tirkey | TMC | |
| 27 | Tung-St. Mary's | Nuri Sherpa | BGPM | |
| 28 | Kurseong-Deorali | Shyam Sherpa | BGPM | |
| 29 | Kurseong-Giddapahar | Anit Thapa | BGPM | |
| 30 | Pankhabari-Ambootia-Longview | Kalpana Pradhan | BGPM | |
| 31 | Mahanadi-Tindharia | Nowraj Chettri | BGPM | |
| 32 | Sittong-Latpanchar | Anit Thapa | BGPM | |
| Kalimpong Subdivision |||||
| 33 | Chibo-Tashiding | Senora Namchu | BGPM | |
| 34 | Homes-Bhalukhop | Bikash Rai | Independent | Supported BGPM |
| 35 | Bong-Durpin | Suman Gurung | TMC | |
| 36 | Dungra-Pudung | Palden Tamang | Independent | |
| 37 | Algarah-Dalapchand | Dawa Tenzi Sherpa | BGPM | |
| 38 | Lava-Lingsay | Kumar Sharma | Independent | Supported BGPM |
| 39 | Rongpo-Munsong | Birey Rai | Independent | Supported BGPM |
| 40 | Pedong | Kamal Subba | BGPM | |
| 41 | Gidabling-Nimbong | Sanchabir Subba | BGPM | |
| 42 | Relli-Samthar | Hemant Rai | BGPM | |
| 43 | Gorubathan | Ratan Thapa | BGPM | |
| 44 | Samsing-Kumai | Harkaman Chettri | BGPM | |
| 45 | Rongo-Today-Jaldhaka | Lakpa Namgyal Bhutia | BGPM | |

## Results

| Political Party | Political Party | Seats Won | Net Change in Seats | Vote Share |
| | Independent supported by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Gurung)* | 2 | 43 | |
| | Hamro Party* | 8 | 8 | |
| | Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha* | 27 | 27 | |
| | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 0 | - | |
| | All India Trinamool Congress | 5 | 5 | |
| | Indian National Congress(INC) | 0 | - | |
| | Independent | 3 | 3 | |
| Total | Total | 45 | 45 | 100 |
" * " denotes parties that are contesting the election as independent candidates (not with any party symbols)

## Aftermath

After the election result was out, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that Trinamool Congress had alliance with BGPM. BGPM president Anit Thapa went to meet Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata after a few days.
All 45 elected member took oath on 13 July. BGPM had the majority on their own as they had won 27 seats. BGPM along with its ally TMC, and other three independent members, formed the board. Anit Thapa became the chief executive of GTA while Rajesh Chauhan became its chairman. Their oath taking ceremony took place on 14 July in the presence of Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.