Desertions from GNLF on

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, 19 Aug 2019, Darjeeling: The exodus of leaders and cadres from the Gorkha National Liberation Front continued on Sunday although the party was a constituent of the alliance that won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha and Assembly seats.

GNLF leader Shiva Thapa and his supporters joined the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's Binay Tamang camp at Rangbull, about 11km from Darjeeling, on Sunday.

After the twin election win, J.B. Tamang, the chief of the GNLF's trade union, joined the Tamang camp. Immediately, a GNLF warhorse, Kamal Gurung, also switched allegiance to the Tamang faction.

The GNLF was seen to have an upper hand following the elections and started cementing its support base after nearly 11 years. The GNLF had lost control of the hills when Bimal Gurung had formed the Morcha in 2007.

"There was a pattern in which the party functioned under Subash Ghisingh. The Some of the GNLF supporters who joined the Morcha's Binay Tamang faction on Sunday hills are not united any now," Thapa said on Sunday.

The statement is probably an indication that recent changes in the GNLF are not going well with old horses of the party. Of late, the GNLF has been inducting new leaders and many believe others are feeling sidelined.

"Don't be surprised if more GNLF leaders join us," said a source in the Tamang camp.

Anit Thapa, a leader of the Tamang camp and the GTA head, has been overseeing the inductions.

"It now looks that Anit Thapa is more involved in the day-to-day activities of the Morcha, compared to Binay Tamang and this might have also facilitated the new inductions," said an observer.

A GNLF leader, however, said the party was not bothered about the defections. "They were given responsibilities but couldn't fulfil their role and left our party. We cannot rule out the play of money power in the switchovers," said a GNLF leader.

Thapa blasts Centre Anit Thapa criticised the Cen- tre on Sunday over the Gorkhaland issue.

"If the Centre wanted, it could have solved the Darjeeling issue as has been clear with the recent development with regard to Ladakh. The Centre is only playing with the sentiments of our people," said Thapa.

He also said the Centre should be held responsible for derailing Gorkhaland movements right from 1986 onwards. "The movements have been crushed after the Centre agreed to send paramilitary forces," said Thapa..