BJP sees TMC plot to `eliminate' Gurung

Amid police efforts to nail down Gorkha Janamukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, a section of BJP leaders has claimed that the Mamata Banerjee-led government has plans to "eliminate" him in an "encounter".

The fugitive, who still holds charge of the main faction of the party, is a partner in the BJP-led coalition at the Centre.

The alleged stockpile of explosives that Gurung has accumulated has left the security forces worried. A senior police official said that the police, in two different raids in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, seized at least 35 kg of gelatin stick.

According to police sources, Gurung and his group still have at least 300 kg of explosives in their stock. His group had allegedly stolen around 325 kg of explosives from a hydel power plant in the region. At least two US-made revolvers and nine highly sophisticated rifles were also seized. There have been efforts to reach Gurung through some political channels to convince him to surrender, said a source in the BJP."We have information that Trinamool Congress (TMC) would try to kill Gurung. He should be called officially for a dialogue," a senior party leader said.

A court in Darjeeling has issued a proclamation order on Gurung and five other GJM leaders, including his wife Asha Gurung and party general secretary Roshan Giri.

Gurung, however, released an audio on Wednesday, stating that the government had been trying to "malign" him and that he was not present at the encounter on October 13 where a sub-inspector was killed.