TMC thin turnout

Vivek Chhetri, Tt, Darjeeling, Jan. 4: The Trinamul (hills) today organised a public meeting in Darjeeling that failed to invoke enthusiasm among supporters at a time the party is witnessing largescale desertion.

Police sources said the crowd at the meeting at Chowk Bazar was less than 400.

That the thin attendance was playing on the minds of Trinamul leaders was clear when at least three of them spoke of the footfall.

N.B. Khawash, the general secretary, Trinamul (hills), said: "I received calls from media persons yesterday and they were enquiring about the expected attendance today. I only want to say that attendance is not important but the message we are trying to spread is more important."

Rajen Mukhia, the president of Trinamul (hills), who spoke after Khawash, said: "If people were enquiring about the attendance, we want to say we will hold a big rally soon and will show our strength."

Another general secretary of Trinamul said the party had problems in organising vehicles to ferry supporters to the venue. "Maybe, the local (Gorkha Janmukti) Morcha leaders issued veiled threats to drivers," said Binny Sharma.

The meeting, organised jointly by Trinamul and its tea workers' union, also had most of the hill Trinamul leaders on stage.

Trinamul supporters have been joining the Morcha in hordes. The Morcha had claimed that it had yesterday inducted 67 former Trinamul supporters. On December 28, the Darjeeling Himalayan Karmachari Sangathan, a union of GTA employees affiliated to Trinamul, was dissolved by the central committee, saying Trinamul had been unable to fulfil the aspirations of the members.

Talking about the desertions, Mukhia said: "Some people joined our party but they left in less than a year. We do not want people who are not disciplined."