GNLF leader joins Morcha Binay camp

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Apr 09, 2018, Darjeeling: The Binay Tamang-Anit Thapa camp of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha received a major fillip on Sunday when a senior GNLF leader from Kurseong, Daya Dewan, joined their party, along with 362 families supporting the GNLF.

Bhaskar Rai, the president of the Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarathi Morcha that was siding with Bimal Gurung, also pledged allegiance to the Binay camp in Darjeeling.

With the GNLF stepping up its activities in the hills of late, Mann Ghisingh's party has been making major strides in expanding its support base. However, Dewan's decision to join the Binay faction has come as a major dampener for the GNLF as Dewan was among the more visible faces of the GNLF in Kurseong.

"The party (GNLF) is functioning according to the whims and fancies of few. They need to be humble as Anit Thapa and learn to encompass everyone within the party fold. I have decided to join them as I have liked the way Anit Thapa is working, his humbleness and the way he is tackling the politics of the region. I have ideological differences with the present GNLF leadership," said Dewan.

Dewan was the press and publicity secretary of the GNLF's Kurseong branch committee.

Mahendra Chhetri, the general secretary of the GNLF, said: "Dewan had recently been suspended for anti-party activities for three months. He has joined another party along with about 400 supporters. However, these supporters were always with the Morcha. His joining the a new party will not affect the GNLF."

Before Dewan joined the GNLF while he was with the Morcha. "I left Bimal Gurung because I immediately realised that he did not have any leadership qualities. I was part of many of his delegations to Delhi and I could immediately sense it," said Dewan.

Bhaskar Rai, the president of the Morcha's student wing (Bimal group), has also switched allegiance to the Binay group. Rai said: "I have decided to support Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa as they salvaged the hills from a bad situation. Bimal Gurung's immaturity in politics doomed the movement and put the party in peril."

"I would request the few leaders who are with Gurung to return homes," he added.

Rai also launched a vitriolic attack on the BJP. "The BJP only played with the emotions of the hill people to win the Lok Sabha seat from Darjeeling twice. They should not be forgiven at any cost. They have little concern for the hill people," said Rai.

The BJP has come under huge criticism in the hills for maintaining a stoic silence during last year's strife. The BJP MP, S.S. Ahluwalia, has not visited the hills ever since violence erupted in the hills in June last year.