KOLKATA: With the support for Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s (GJM) Binay Tamang faction steadily rising from several quarters, party supremo Bimal Gurung is increasingly finding political power slip out of his hands. Gurung’s desperation to grab onto power became evident when his supporters clashed with state police forces at Tukvar, near the GJM chief’s residence in Patlaybas in Darjeeling, on Friday. The clash led to the death of a sub-inspector and left two policemen injured. Gurung managed to escape with his supporters back to Sikkim, which had been his hideout during the party’s 104-day strike.
In an audio tape released late on Thursday night, Gurung announced that he will make a public appearance before his supporters in Darjeeling on October 30 and urged them to take to the streets. “If I need to die, I will do so before the people,” he said.
Police said Gurung was sneaking into Darjeeling from Sikkim to fulfill his promise, when the encounter happened. They have recovered six AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm pistol, 500 rounds of ammunition and bomb-making materials after the clash.
“Real woes began for Gurung not after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee nominated Tamang as chairman of the Board of Administrators that governs Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), a post that Gurung earlier held, but during the recent attack on state BJP president Dilip Ghosh in Darjeeling allegedly by Tamang’s men. The lack of public opposition to the attack put up an image that Tamang’s power was well-established in Darjeeling now. Mass defections of Gurung-loyalist councillors from Darjeeling and Kurseong municipalities to the Tamang faction soon followed the attack, sending shivers down Gurung’s spine,” said a leader close to the GJM chief.
According to political analysts in Darjeeling, Gurung’s recent agitation for Gorkhaland statehood was led by low-rung leaders, who owed allegiance to him. They say Gurung’s current fear stems from the fact that if these leaders turn their backs to his agitation, so would the masses. Gorkha National Liberation Front supremo Subhash Ghising was banished from the hills in a similar way.
“Tamang became the face of the agitation in Darjeeling during the 104-day strike in the absence of Gurung, who is on the run since June after he was slapped with charges under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, murder, arson and rioting. This may help Tamang to drum up support of common Gorkhas, who are looking for someone to lead them. Opposition to Gurung also grew during his tenure as the GTA chief, when he was accused of massive corruption. However, another section feels that Tamang will lead into GTA Part 2, which will be another compromise far from realisation of the Gorkhaland dream,” said political analyst Biren Chhetri.