Hill TMC finally backs Gurung Morcha camp : Former MLA quits Binoy camp Morcha

Tamang faction, some Hill Trinamul leaders not happy with move

SNS, DARJEELING, 3 APRIL 21 : Following a state of suspended animation, the Trinamul Congress (Hlills) has finally decided to support the Bimal Gurung faction of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha in the Assembly elections. The party in the Hills was in a quandary as to which faction of the Morcha to lend support to in the elections.

The decision comes as a blow to the other faction of the Morcha led by Binoy Tamang, which, along with the Gurung faction, is in alliance with the TMC. Both the camps have fielded their candidates for the polls in the three Hill constituencies.

"The decision to support the Gurung camp was taken in a meeting of our party today. We took this decision after looking at the way Gurung's party has been relentlessly campaigning for the TMC in the plains with our flag," TMC Rajya Sabha MP Shama Chettri said in Kalimpong. She added that their main aim was to hand down defeat to the BJP.

The TMC (Hills) was in a state of confusion in lack of proper instructions from the party high command, with party chief Mamata Banerjee maintaining that she had left the three Hill seats for "friends," without clarifying as to who they were.

The Gurug camp welcomed the decision, with the faction's general secretary, Roshan Giri saying, "We welcome the decision of the TMC, and with their help, we feel that we will he able to win the three Hill seats. We are also thankful to the United Christian Minority Organization for extending its support to us."

On the other hand, the general secretary of the Tamang faction, Anit Thapa, said, "I respect the decision taken by the TMC (Hills), as it can help and support whichever side it wants. I however, I cannot understand how they could support such a person under whose regime their supporters were chased and their houses torched."

Asked if the TMC move would affect them, Mr Thapa said, "In the Hills, supporters do not follow their leaders as seen in the elections of 2019 when the TMC was our alliance partner, but we lost. Moreover, our alliance is with the All India Trinamul Congress."

The party's decision also did not go down well with some senior HiII TMC leaders.

"This was a very surprising decision taken by them, as no such direction has been given by our high command on this, which I personally checked. This was done without consultation with our high command. It is being done against our party, as the three Hill seats were left for local parties and no decision was taken as to whom we should support," said party leader Binny Sharma.

"How can a few people take such a decision? Some of them who took this decision were not even there during the 2011- 2017 period when many were chased away and their houses torched. At that time, the Bengal CM had also been forced to leave the Hills all for the greed of one person," he said, adding that he had personally already extended his support to the Tamang faction of the Morcha. He also appealed to TMC supporters to protest the decision.

Former MLA  quits Binoy  camp Morcha

KURSEONG. 3 APRIL 21 : Former MLA from Kurseong and leader of the Binoy Tamang faction of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha, Rohit Sharma, has shot his resignation letter to party chief Mr Tamang.

"Pls accept my resignation from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect," Mr Sharma has said in the letter he sent to Mr Tamang today.

Later, when asked over the phone about his move, Mr Sharma said that he wants to retire from politics.

"This is why I sent in my resignation letter to the party president Binoy Tamang today," he said.