Binay lion's share, keeps 20 GTA departments to himself

Darjeeling: Binay Tamang, who has been named the chairman of the GTA board of administrators, has kept 28 of the 50 departments in the hill body to himself and has not given a single one to the lone Trinamul representative.

Political observers said the move could have the government's approval and indicated that the Trinamul Congress did not want to be seen as trying to control the hill body through a "representative". The Bimal Gurung lobby of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has often accused Tamang of being a "government stooge".

The departments that Tamang has kept to himself include finance, tourism, hill affairs, cinchona, food and supplies and PWD. Vice-chairman Anit Thapa will head nine departments, including PHE, health, and the panchayat and rural department.

The eight member board of administrators also has a Trinamul representative in the form of L.B. Rai, the chairman of Mirik municipality.

Asked about Rai, Tamang said: "It would have been dual role for him. That is why he was not allotted any department."

Rai said he was unaware of the allocation of departments and declined to comment.

The Telegraph