In a significant turnaround that could dispel to some extent the political uncertainty in the Darjeeling hills Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung has dropped his plan to quit as Chief Executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
“Our president has decided to stay on in the post and the GTA will continue to work towards the development of the region even as our campaign for a separate Gorkhaland State continues,” Roshan Giri, GJM general secretary, told The Hindu over telephone from Darjeeling on Thursday.
Peeved at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remarks in Darjeeling in January that the hills were “an inseparable” part of West Bengal and accusing her government for undermining the autonomy of the GTA, Mr. Gurung in February said he would be quitting the regional body and instead devote his time to taking forward the agitation for a separate State.
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