Political equations in Hills redrawn with Gurung's appearance

We have been constantly stating that Gorkhaland is an issue which is Centre's subject. There is no point in going into confrontation with the State Government. He should work with the State for the overall development of this region" stated Dr. Harka Bahadur Chettri, President, Jana Andolan Party. 

Amitava Banerjee  |  MP  | 21 Oct 2020 |  Darjeeling: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung's sudden appearance in Kolkata has resulted in redrawing of political equations in the Hills. 

His sudden support to the TMC leaving the BJP fold has caused major ripples in the political arena. "Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa were being labeled as betrayers of the cause (read Gorkhaland.) Bimal Gurung has been exposed. Except for his chair and his own survival he does not care about anything. Gurung is nothing but a businessman, trading in Gorkhaland.

Spokesperson, GJM (Binay faction)

Incidentally in 2017 Gurung had spawned an agitation declaring that the TMC led West Bengal was forcefully imposing Bengali language in the Hills. 

The agitation turned violent and culminated in a 105 day long bandh. Gurung along with the GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri were implicated in multiple cases and had gone underground since mid October 2017. They were later declared as absconders by a Darjeeling court. 

The GJM suffered a vertical split with Binoy Tamang emerging as the President of the other faction. In the 2019 Parliamentary elections the Gurung faction of the GJM continued their support to the BJP. Raju Bista, the BJP candidate emerged victorious from the Darjeeling Parliamentary seat. 

"The blood of the 13 martyrs of the Gorkhaland agitation of 2017 is on Gurung's hands" stated Mahendra Chettri, Spokesperson, GNLF an ally of the BJP. 

"We have been constantly stating that Gorkhaland is an issue which is Centre's subject. There is no point in going into confrontation with the State Government. He should work with the State for the overall development of this region" stated Dr. Harka Bahadur Chettri, President, Jana Andolan Party. 

( Courtesy & source- Millenium Post- http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/political-equations-in-hills-redrawn-with-gurungs-appearance-421780)