GJMM wishes to participate in two-tier Panchayat polls despite opposition

Gurung announced the stand after a meeting of the Morcha’s central committee.

“We want to remind that the Centre and the state government had agreed to three-tier elections earlier,” he said.

Political analysts said the GJMM’s stance stemmed from the realisation that any boycott of the panchayat elections will only weaken the party and it needs to conrest in all polls.

The Elections to gram panchayats were last held in the hills in 2000.

For the three-tier panchayat elections, a constitutional amendment is needed since in 1993, Article 243 had amended to pave way for a two-tier panchayat poll.