GNLF's decision to boycott the polls will be a decisive factor for both the Congress and the BJP in the hills in the upcoming elections with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate to be the ultimate gainer," said Subhas Gishing, president, GNLF.
The Central Government, the State Government of West Bengal and the GNLF signed an agreement paving the way for setting up the Autonomous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (ADGHC) in 1988.
However, in early 2008, a breakaway faction of GNLF set up the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), which over the past couple of months has been spearheading the agitation for the separate state of Gorkhaland.