Tamang firms grip over Gurung fort

TNN | Oct 9, 2017,DARJEELING: The spate of defections bleeding the beleaguered Bimal Gurung camp turned worse on Sunday with 19 commissioners of the 32-ward Darjeeling municipality pledging their support to Binay Tamang —the expelled GJM leader — giving Tamang a decisive toehold in the Gurung stronghold.

On Friday, 16 commissioners of the Kurseong municipality joined Anit Thapa, a key Tamang aide. According to sources,the Kalimpong municipality commissioners are expected to take a decision on which camp they would want to stay and work with on Monday.

The Darjeeling defections came a day after Tamang unfurled the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha flag on the party's foundation day on Saturday at Gurung's home turf Darjeeling, signalling a bandh-free agitation coursefor Gorkhaland.

The fresh defections gave Tamang an edge with factions trying to politically assert their supremacy over the other. The Bengal government recognises theTamang faction as the GJM, ahead of the October 16 bilateral discussions in Kolkata. The Centre's call, however, was to the Gurung faction.

The decision by the Darjeeling municipality commissioners was taken on Sunday after a "political level" meeting in Darjeeling. The Darjeeling municipality has 32 wards and in the recent election on May, 31 candidates of the GJM party emerged victorious with one seat going to the Trinamool Congress.

Chandan Yolmo, commissioner from ward 4, said the decision to defect to the Binay Tamang-Anit Thapa faction was to provide service to the people, who were facing difficulties with no work in the municipality and political uncertainties. "People voted for us to serve them because they had put their faith on us. Now it is time for us to repay the faith under a new leadership," he said.

Three commissioners of wards1, 7 and 22 have extended their supportto Binay Tamang over phone as they could not attend the Sunday meeting. "Some of the commissioners could not attend the meeting while others could not be contacted. Butwe are hopeful they will join us.It will be wrong to label them 'virodhis' (opposition) aswe are fighting for the same cause," said Pratibha Rai, commissioner, ward 23.

On the question of leaning towards the Binay Tamang faction, Yolmo said, "Our demand for Gorkhaland will remain and we will contribute to the movement. We, however, felt that a change in leadership was needed and that is why we have put our faith on Binay Tamang. Bimal Gurung can remain the president of the party".

On Friday, the defection of 16 Kurseong commissioners to the Tamang-Thapa camp gave a majority to the rebel faction. Kurseong Municipality has 20 commissioners, while three are with the TMC,the chairman of the municipality is under arrest.

In another blow to the GJM president, more than 400 party supporters from the Mungpo area joined the Tamang-Thapa faction on Sunday in Kurseong.

Similarly, several leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Vidhyarthi Morcha (GJVM), including office bearers, also pledged their support to Anit Thapa. Sanjeev Chhetri,GJVM central committee spokesperson, said, "We will continue our movement for Gorkhaland. But we want to do it in a democratic manner. We think Tamang and Thapa will provide the right leadership that's why we decided to join them." Thapa said the defection reflected people's hope on their leadership.

(Source & Courtesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/tamang-firms-grip-over-gurung-fort/articleshow/60999196.cms)