The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) may have passed a resolution seeking re-election of Bimal Gurung as its chief executive but the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president has decided to wait for the December 20 meeting with Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to give the green signal.
On Monday, the GTA Sabha chairman convened a meeting in Darjeeling and with the support and consent of the Sabhasads proposed Gurung’s name for the top post and also passed a resolution. However, the GJM president today refused to confirm his approval. “It is the GTA Sabhasad that has proposed my name for the chief executive post. I have not taken any decision yet,” said Gurung when asked to comment. It is expected that Gurung, who on numerous occasions dropped hints of rejoining the GTA, will not take a hasty decision unlike the resignation in July 30, to lead the statehood movement. “I think I may have made a mistake and hastened my decision to resign,” he had said a couple of days back in a press conference in Darjeeling.
The GJM president had also said the Bengal Chief Minister had invited him to Kolkata for a meeting on December 20 which he reiterated, today. “There are several issues both administratively and politically that needs to be discussed with the chief minister. All decisions that I will have to take will be after the Kolkata meeting,” Gurung said. The GJM leader said this in reference to the GTA proposing his name for the chief executive post and also the Hills MLAs wanting to quit over the non release of party leaders and Sabhasads arrested during the August-September agitation.
When asked to comment on the Union government asking the party general secretary Roshan Giri on Monday to take the state government into confidence to make some sort of inroad in the statehood demand, Gurung said, “The central government has said this eying the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Our demand for a separate state will remain”.
In the meeting with the Bengal chief minister, the GJM leader is expected to rake up the issue of release of arrested party leaders, recruitment of Gorkha youths on the police and para-military forces and will also request her to put pressure on the central government to provide tribal status to the all the Gorkha communities except the schedule caste, among some of the demands.(EOIC)
On Monday, the GTA Sabha chairman convened a meeting in Darjeeling and with the support and consent of the Sabhasads proposed Gurung’s name for the top post and also passed a resolution. However, the GJM president today refused to confirm his approval. “It is the GTA Sabhasad that has proposed my name for the chief executive post. I have not taken any decision yet,” said Gurung when asked to comment. It is expected that Gurung, who on numerous occasions dropped hints of rejoining the GTA, will not take a hasty decision unlike the resignation in July 30, to lead the statehood movement. “I think I may have made a mistake and hastened my decision to resign,” he had said a couple of days back in a press conference in Darjeeling.
The GJM president had also said the Bengal Chief Minister had invited him to Kolkata for a meeting on December 20 which he reiterated, today. “There are several issues both administratively and politically that needs to be discussed with the chief minister. All decisions that I will have to take will be after the Kolkata meeting,” Gurung said. The GJM leader said this in reference to the GTA proposing his name for the chief executive post and also the Hills MLAs wanting to quit over the non release of party leaders and Sabhasads arrested during the August-September agitation.
When asked to comment on the Union government asking the party general secretary Roshan Giri on Monday to take the state government into confidence to make some sort of inroad in the statehood demand, Gurung said, “The central government has said this eying the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Our demand for a separate state will remain”.
In the meeting with the Bengal chief minister, the GJM leader is expected to rake up the issue of release of arrested party leaders, recruitment of Gorkha youths on the police and para-military forces and will also request her to put pressure on the central government to provide tribal status to the all the Gorkha communities except the schedule caste, among some of the demands.(EOIC)
Surjya hails Gurung for agreeing to resume charge as GTA chief executive
Siliguri, 17 December: The leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, Mr Surjya Kanta Mishra, today welcomed the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) president Mr Bimal Gurung, agreeing to resume charge of the GTA Sabha as its chief executive.
The GTA Sabha passed a resolution yesterday in Darjeeling, paving the way for his return to the GTA. Mr Gurung resigned from the post of chief executive on 30 July to resurrect the Gorkhaland movement after the UPA nodded positively to bisect Andhra Pradesh to carve out a separate Telangana.
“We welcome the move. It augers good for the Hills. The common people, who have been bearing long the brunt of disruptive politics, would feel relieved. Things in the GTA would hopefully be on the rails again,” he said.
He, however, said in the same breath that the move is beyond his comprehension. “It is a riddle as to why Mr Gurung quit and why he would return now,” he said.
Batting for an understanding between the GJMM and the state government, the senior Marxist leader said they both should work shoulder to shoulder to usher in development. “But, at the same time, right ambience should be created there to ensure that all the political parties function without any hurdle. This is what inclusive democracy warrants,” he said.
Reiterating his party’s stance for maximum autonomy for the Hills, he said this is what can solve the tangle permanently, while stressing on the indivisibility of the state.(SNS)
The GTA Sabha passed a resolution yesterday in Darjeeling, paving the way for his return to the GTA. Mr Gurung resigned from the post of chief executive on 30 July to resurrect the Gorkhaland movement after the UPA nodded positively to bisect Andhra Pradesh to carve out a separate Telangana.
“We welcome the move. It augers good for the Hills. The common people, who have been bearing long the brunt of disruptive politics, would feel relieved. Things in the GTA would hopefully be on the rails again,” he said.
He, however, said in the same breath that the move is beyond his comprehension. “It is a riddle as to why Mr Gurung quit and why he would return now,” he said.
Batting for an understanding between the GJMM and the state government, the senior Marxist leader said they both should work shoulder to shoulder to usher in development. “But, at the same time, right ambience should be created there to ensure that all the political parties function without any hurdle. This is what inclusive democracy warrants,” he said.
Reiterating his party’s stance for maximum autonomy for the Hills, he said this is what can solve the tangle permanently, while stressing on the indivisibility of the state.(SNS)