Four roads converge at the heart of Darjeeling – the Chowrasta, a bustling promenade flanked by cafés and souvenir shops, a central point for tourists, and the square for public gatherings, rallies and cultural events. Chowrasta has become a metaphor for the region’s shifting identity movements, electoral ambitions and competing visions of governance. Political mood in Darjeeling Hills – six crucial assembly seats – increasingly mirrors this plaza. In 2021, BJP won five, one went to an Independent.

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