Exodus from GJM to TMC continues

HT, 24 September 2016, DARJEELING: The Trinamool Congress continued making political inroads into the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s Hills bastion. The TMC claimed that more than a thousand people, including a GJM central committee member and a youth leader, joined the ruling party in Kalimpong on Saturday.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s three-day visit to Kalimpong sparked the exodus, claimed TMC leaders at a party programme at Dr Graham’s Homes ground.

Leading the influx was Dipen Tamang, a GJM central committee member from Bijanbari and Sangay Tamang, GJM youth leader from Kalimpong.

“People are disillusioned with the GJM and are joining us. Politics of bandhs will not continue for long. We will come out on the streets against the bandh and will not allow the Hills from being paralysed. They wanted accounts and we have given them the details. Now if they cannot give clarifications, we will demonstrate outside their homes” said youth affairs and PWD minister Arup Biswas.

Incidentally, Mamata Banerjee during her recent visit to Kalimpong, had alleged that the state government has allotted Rs 4,000 crores of funds to the GTA. Gurung had countered, threatening to call a 12-hour bandh in the Darjeeling Hills on September 20, if Mamata Banerjee failed to prove her contention.

The state government giving a break up of accounts claimed that Rs 1019 Crore has been allotted as hill affairs planner budget; Rs 2006 crores non-planned; Rs 119 crore frozen fund of DGHC; Rs 92 Crore rural electrification; Rs 43 crores national health mission; Rs 80 crore Sarva Siksha Aviyan; Rs 20 crore towards Nirmal Bangla scheme; Rs 674 crore 100 day work scheme; Rs 28 crore PHE and Rs 5 Crore Indira Avash Yojna. According to the state government, it comes to Rs 4,095 crore.

Gurung has claimed that the GTA has received Rs 2927.1 crore (both state and Central funds.)

Off late, the GJM has been facing the TMC brunt with cross overs. There have been many key leaders who have left the GJM alleging Bimal Gurung’s autocracy. The first to leave was Harka Bahadur Chettri, GJM spokesperson and MLA from Kalimpong along with Trilok Dewan, the GJM MLA from Darjeeling. Meanwhile many supporters and leaders from the GJM-affiliated frontal organisations also crossed over.

The biggest dent was GJM vice-president and GTA chairman Bhupendra Pradhan joining the TMC on August 25. He had predicted that many more will join him.