Dilemma in Dooars

TT, Siliguri: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders in the Dooars are in a dilemma over who among Bimal Gurung or Binay Tamang they should support.

"In the foothills and particularly, the Dooars, there is utter confusion among most of the Morcha leaders and supporters. They have no idea where our party is heading and whether Bimal Gurung will regain his hold over the hills or Binay Tamang will call the shots," said a Morcha leader in the Dooars.

In the beginning of the statehood movement in June, Morcha leaders and cadres had taken out a few rallies in the Dooars. But they stopped after the split in the party.

"Unlike in the hills, where police restrictions disrupted regular rallies and meetings, such programmes stopped on their own in the Dooars. This is because the Morcha supporters didn't know whether the protests should continue or they should listen to Tamang's appeal for peace," the Morcha leader said.

Another Morcha representative at Kalchini said there was not much pressure from either lobbies of the party in the Dooars.

"The central leadership of the Morcha is now focussed on the hills, barring occasional utterances that the Dooars and the Terai should be included in Gorkhaland. So, a section of Morcha supporters is even thinking of joining Trinamul as there is a complete mix-up within the Morcha," he said.

The latest Gorkhaland movement didn't have much impact in the Dooars, unlike on earlier occasions.

"That was because the central leadership of the Morcha didn't focus on the plains. As there are no clear instructions from the party, it is obvious that they will be confused," an observer said.