Meet to elect new GTA executive

SNS, Darjeeling, 12 August 2013: The GTA members have written to their principal secretary, Mr R D Meena, asking him to convene a meeting on 16 August to elect the new GTA chief executive, said Mr Pradip Pradhan, chairman, GTA today.  

The decision to write to Mr Meena was taken in course of the GJMM central committee meeting held after the all-party meeting was over. 

He said they would go for electing the new GTA chief executive, though he added in the same breath that the party might decide to clean its hands off the GTA anytime. 

“We are awaiting our president, Bimal Gurung’s directive,” he said.

The post of the chief executive fell vacant after Mr Gurung put in papers to the Governor on 30 July to take a full plunge for the movement for Gorkhaland.

The party seems to have decided for the fresh election for the post in view of the state government having hinted at foisting one of the three nominated members as the chief of the autonomous body. 

Mr Pradhan further said the GTA Act has provided a month to fill the vacancy. “So we have time till 31 August. However, we want the process to be completed on 16 August,” he said.