Siliguri, 8 August : In a piquant turn of events in the restive Darjeeling Hills, two of the
three members of the GTA nominated by the state government ~ one of whom
the state government is supposed to have decided to replace Mr
Bimal Gurung as the chief of the autonomous body to teach the defiant
GJMM a lesson ~ have fled homes in the Hills and they are now staying
put in Siliguri.
According to sources close to them, the Trinamul Congress leadership based in north Bengal has asked them not to go public with any comment on the present volatile situation in the Hills and the ongoing crisis dogging the GTA.
When contacted, the two nominated members ~ both of them residents of the Darjeeling Hills ~ said that they had come down to Siliguri a few days ago, evidently in apprehension of attack.
Notably, Mr Durga Kharel, Mr Milan Dukpa and Satish Kumar Thing ~ the last one is a resident of Samsing in the Dooars ~ were nominated as member of the GTA by the state government.
Darjeeling-based political observers said the nominated GTA members are in no position to withstand the heat in the Hills.
“If the state government thinks it can foist one of them on the Hills as the GTA chief it is a pipe dream,” one of them said.
Two nominated members refused to comment.
“We are keeping a close tab on the developing situation and awaiting the chief minister to decide things,” one of them said.
On the other hand, a senior GJMM leader, Mr Jyoti Rai, said: “We have not yet received any communication from the state government regarding the decision to foist a nominated member on the GTA as its chief.”
“The state government is bound to abide by the rules regarding election of the chief executive in case of vacancy,” he said.
“Election for a new chief executive would be conducted within one month from the date of resignation. As per rules, 28 August is the deadline for electing a new chief executive,” he also said.
“As the state will fix the date of the election, the principal secretary of the GTA will serve a notice to all the elected members of the body at least 10 days before the date of the election. My party has not yet taken any decision. We will decide on it before 18 August,” he added.(SNS)
According to sources close to them, the Trinamul Congress leadership based in north Bengal has asked them not to go public with any comment on the present volatile situation in the Hills and the ongoing crisis dogging the GTA.
When contacted, the two nominated members ~ both of them residents of the Darjeeling Hills ~ said that they had come down to Siliguri a few days ago, evidently in apprehension of attack.
Notably, Mr Durga Kharel, Mr Milan Dukpa and Satish Kumar Thing ~ the last one is a resident of Samsing in the Dooars ~ were nominated as member of the GTA by the state government.
Darjeeling-based political observers said the nominated GTA members are in no position to withstand the heat in the Hills.
“If the state government thinks it can foist one of them on the Hills as the GTA chief it is a pipe dream,” one of them said.
Two nominated members refused to comment.
“We are keeping a close tab on the developing situation and awaiting the chief minister to decide things,” one of them said.
On the other hand, a senior GJMM leader, Mr Jyoti Rai, said: “We have not yet received any communication from the state government regarding the decision to foist a nominated member on the GTA as its chief.”
“The state government is bound to abide by the rules regarding election of the chief executive in case of vacancy,” he said.
“Election for a new chief executive would be conducted within one month from the date of resignation. As per rules, 28 August is the deadline for electing a new chief executive,” he also said.
“As the state will fix the date of the election, the principal secretary of the GTA will serve a notice to all the elected members of the body at least 10 days before the date of the election. My party has not yet taken any decision. We will decide on it before 18 August,” he added.(SNS)
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