GNLF, AIGL and expelled GJM leaders join TMC

Darjeeling(WB), June 11 (PTI) A group of leaders from Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), All India Gorkha League (AIGL) and those expelled from Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) today joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the Darjeeling Hills. Rajen Mukhiya, Shelling Sherpa, P H Subba and some other GNLF leaders along with their supporters joined the TMC in the presence of TMC leader and North Bengal Development minister Gautam Deb at Banihata in Mirik. AIGL leader S Bhutia, Milan Dukkta and expelled GJM trade union leader Shyam Rai, Anil Chetri, Vishal Chetri and Rajesh Chetri along with their supporters also joined the TMC. Gautam Deb welcomed the GNLF, AIGL and other leaders who joined the TMC. The TMC has practically no presence in the Darjelling Hills where the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is the most popular party and has four MLAs in the Darjeeling Hills. The GJM had yesterday vowed to resist election to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and had called for a 72-hour strike and announced that its four MLAs would resign from the West Bengal Legislative assembly. The GJM was unhappy after the Justice (retd) Shyamal Sen committee rejected its demand for inclusion of 398 mouzas of Terai and Dooars under the territorial jurisdiction of GTA and had instead recommended only inclusion of five mouzas to the GTA.