Bimal claims he is still numero uno.... The Hills will not celebrate Dashain and Tihar- Bimal

SMRITA KHAWAS, SNS, SILIGURI, 21 SEPTEMBER 2017: Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) chief Bimal Gurung today claimed that he is still calling the shots and that he is still the "Number-1" in the Hills. He said that he can still hand down a good defeat to "anyone" if elections were held.

In a telephone conversation with The Statesman from an undisclosed location, Mr Gurung further said that the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong will not celebrate the Gorkha Community's biggest festival of Dashain/ Dussehra that falls at the end of this month.

Reacting to tourism minister Gautam Deb's remarks today that only a handful of people were protesting the nomination of the new board of administrators for the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Mr Gurung said: "I am the leader of the people. I am not a leader without the people.The people love me because the work that is being done right now in perfect coordination between me and the people is being done all too well.The coming days will show who has what kind of a support in the Hills."

Any election whether MP, MLA, I will show that my opponents are defeated," he claimed.

According to him, home minister Rajnath Singh will send a letter by Saturday, setting a date for the tripartite meeting, wherein he will also appeal the GJMM to lift the indefinite strike that enters its 100th day tomorrow. Asked if the shut down will end before the Pujas, he said he cannot say for sure if the strike will be lifted anytime soon.

On the GTA board, he said that the Gorkhaland agitation is being led by the public and the public will decide what to accept and what to reject.

On the festivals and the possibility of the strike being withdrawn, he said: "The Hills will not celebrate Dashain and Tihar (Diwali) this year. This year's festivals will be dedicated to the 11 martyrs who laid their lives for Gorkhaland (in the recent bout of the agitation)."

He further said that Binay Taming can "of course' join the tripartite talks, if held, "but he has to do so as a 'Trinamul Congress man and not as a GJMM representative.'

"It was Bimal Gurung who gave birth to the GJMM by unfurling the party flag at the Darjeeling  Motorstand, and traitors cannot use my party's flag," he said.