Out-of-poll Morcha faces in panel

Darjeeling, July 22: Bimal Gurung has decided to form a supervisory committee to oversee the functioning of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration councillors, a move to pacify leaders who were denied tickets and also to check unbridled control of the elected members.

A source close to Gurung quoted the Morcha president as saying: “Since I could distribute only 45 tickets and I was forced to leave out many deserving candidates, the party has decided to form a supervisory committee through which all development work will be routed.”

Gurung made this statement while pacifying disgruntled leaders who were denied GTA tickets.

The source said Gurung had already named two members for the committee. “Our party president said that for the moment he would name two members of the committee who would be involved in guiding and framing policies for the GTA. They are L.B. Pariyar and Trilok Dewan,” said the source. Pariyar is the present chairman of Kalimpong municipality and Dewan is the Morcha MLA from Darjeeling.

Both the members are retired IAS officials.

Pariyar has held many posts earlier, including that of the principal secretary of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. Dewan has retired as the chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh. The two, however, had not shown any keenness to contest the GTA election of July 29, which is now a matter of formality because Trinamul has also withdrawn all its candidates from the fray.

The Morcha will face a contest only in one seat from rebel candidate Sanchabir Subba.

According to party sources, the committee would be involved in proposing and vetting development projects in the area.

“The leaders from Darjeeling in this committee would have to supervise the functioning of all 22 councillors from Darjeeling sub-division,” the source said.

Gurung, it is learnt, held a series of meetings with the disgruntled leaders and promised them “more responsibility” even though they would not be directly involved with the GTA.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to attend the swearing-in on August 4 and an invitation has also been sent to Union home minister P. Chidambaram.

Even though the district administration had finalised the venue for the swearing-in at Gorkha Ranga Manch Bhavan, the Morcha wanted the event to be held at the St Joseph’s School (North Point) ground, so that all its supporters can be accommodated.

Samar Ghosh, the state’s home secretary Basudeb Banerjee and other senior officials yesterday inspected the North Point ground, the Bhavan, Gymkhana Rink Hall and Chowrasta.

“The administration was not keen on holding the event at the North Point ground taking into account the rainy season. It was finally decided it would take place at Chowrastha,” said a district official.

From the telegraph