GJM divided over quitting GTA

KOLKATA: Key leaders of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha are divided on asking its elected members to quit the Gorkha Territorial Administration. GJM President Bimal Gurung had resigned as GTA chief before the current round of agitation for Gorkhaland state.

Gurung had then announced that all GJM members would quit as GTA members. But till date, no one else has resigned from the power centre in Darjeeling and this has created resentment among GJM activists and supporters.

Coordinator of the newly-formed Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee, Raju Pradhan, told ET on Tuesday over phone, “I feel all of us should quit GTA immediately to mount pressure on Mamata’s government. I also feel that staying with GTA after Gurung’s resignation will send a wrong signal among our supporters, who might consider us power crazy and might also think that we are opportunists and want to run the GTA. Such thoughts among our people might weaken our movement.”

However, GJM MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri told ET that his party had almost finalised the name of Birkhu Bhusal, an 85-year-old GJM leader, to replace Gurung as GTA Chairman. Chhetri added that his party had not taken a final decision on members quitting GTA.

GJM youth leader Benoy Tamang added that his party was undecided on asking members to quit the Administration.