GTA executive meeting to be held on Thursday

SNS, Darjeeling, 6 November 2013: The executive sabha meeting of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration will be held tomorrow at Lalkothi in the course of which the members are likely to take up the issue of electing a new chief executive for the autonomous body. 

However, the GTA members maintain that tomorrow’s meeting is scheduled to discuss development issues and not the issue of election. 

Confusion prevailed in the political circles, as the party MLA for Kalimpong Mr Harka Bahadur Chhetri, had said a few days back that the GTA would elect a new chief executive today. However, nothing of that sort has happened. 

Speaking over the phone from Kolkata, Mr Chhetri said: “The GTA was supposed to decide on the new chief executive today. However, I do not have any idea why it has not taken place.” 

Mr Jyotikumar Rai, a senior GJMM leader and an executive member of the GTA sabha said, they have not discussed anything regarding the election of the new chief executive today. 

“The state government has not recommended it officially,” he said. 

Photo: Dural

“The election of the new chief executive is not on the agenda of tomorrow’s meeting. It would remain focused on development-related issues instead,” he added. 

The principal secretary of the GTA, Mr RD Meena, said: “The sabha will have to elect its new chief executive after the state government fixes the date.” 

Presently, the autonomous body is being headed by the deputy chief executive Mr Ramesh Allay, who is now officiating as the acting chief executive. Mr Benoy Tamang, who was elected for the post on 27 September, could not take oath within the mandatory one-month period, as, tagged with several cases, he has been languishing in a gaol in Jalpaiguri. 

It is not certain whether the party chief, Mr Bimal Gurung would take up again the responsibility of running the GTA sabha as its chief executive. 

Though he said several times that he would not take the post he had quit for Gorkhaland on 31 July there are instances when he bowed to party’s pressure and went back on his known stance.