GJM Binay faction likely to expel Bimal Gurung, Roshan Giri

The Binoy Tamang faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is likely to expel fugitive Morcha president Bimal Gurung and general secretary Roshan Giri soon with Tamang seemingly holding the upper hand in the turf war in the Darjeeling hills. The threat came in Tamang’s first public meeting on Sunday that is being seen as a show of strength. “From underground the earlier GJM leadership had announced my expulsion and of some other GJM office bearers from the party. Now it is time to see who gets expelled in future,” said Tamang, whose faction is backed by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee after Gurung and Giri who were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, went underground. Sunday’s meeting at the motor stand in the heart of Darjeeling was considered as a litmus test for the rebel GJM faction lead by Tamang and his close associate Anit Thapa to prove its supremacy in hill politics. Around 5,000 people attended the meeting despite Gurung’s call from hiding boycott it. In his appeal, Gurung had argued that public attendance would just jeopardize the long- standing demand for separate Gorkhaland state and the ongoing movement in support of that demand. Thapa said that a crucial meeting of the GJM central committee has been convened on November 20 , As Reported By Hindustan Times.

According to the Newspaper,The meeting will take several crucial decisions relating to the Morcha leadership. “One of the decisions might be relating to expulsion of Gurung and Giri,” said a leader from the Tamang camp. Read more: Darjeeling impasse: Bengal seals GJM office building, arrests 3 for cop’s death In absence of Gurung and his close associates, Tamang’s faction has gained substantial strength. The chief minister’s decision to create board of administrators in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) making Tamang its chairman and Thapa as its vice- chairman, has worked in favour of the anti- Gurung faction in the hills. “Gurung has nothing else to do except issuing statements.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/