Binay camp suspends Gurung, Giri

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling: The rebel camp of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Monday suspended Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri for six months and replaced them with Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa as the president and the general secretary, respectively.

The Morcha central committee that met in Darjeeling also suspended Gurung's wife, Asha, who is the chief of the Nari Morcha, and 13 other leaders for the same period.

Observers believe the rebel camp of Tamang and Thapa has taken the decision to ensure that the Centre invites them, not Gurung and Giri, to a tripartite meeting as and when its convened.

The central committee meeting was attended by 37 members. The Morcha had initially 93 members on the committee but many resigned, while others like L.B. Rai, the present civic chairman of Mirik, switched to other parties. The updated list of the total number of central committee members could not be independently verified though sources in the Binay camp put the figure around 80.

Tamang told a media conference: "The central committee has decided to suspend Bimal Gurung, Roshan Giri, Asha Gurung from the party for six months for failing to discharge their responsibilities and remaining out of the district for six months."

The central committee unanimously appointed Tamang as the president and Thapa as the general secretary of the Morcha.

The 13 other suspended leaders were perceived to be in the Gurung camp.

Morcha central committee members Swaraj Thapa, Saran Dewan and Sabitri Rai; Yuva Morcha president Prakash Gurung, vice-president Priyabardan Rai and organising secretary Sanjeev Lama; and Vaskar Rai, Anmol Thapa and Sonam Lama of the student wing are among the suspended.

In a statement, Giri said as the Morcha had already sacked Tamang and Thapa, they didn't have the right to suspend anyone. "The suspension is illegal," said Giri.

Tamang said the Morcha would immediately apprise the Election Commission of India of the changes in portfolios.

With the leaders of both the camps expelling each other, the observers believe the matter might ultimately be dragged to court.