Bimal Gurung quits GTA to press for Gorkhaland

Darjeeling : As New Delhi today endorsed Telangana statehood, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung stepped down as GTA chief executive to press for a separate Gorkhaland. The GJM also announced indefinite strike in the hills. Gorkhaland Territorial Administration is an autonomous hill council formed a year ago. Gurung faxed his resignation letter to Governor M K Narayanan. "I have resigned from the GTA. I am severing ties with the state government," he told the mediapersons. 

The resignation letter, accessed by The Indian Express, mentions that he was quitting GTA because of "interference of the West Bengal government" in the autonomous body. "My resignation is on the demand for the formation of Gorkhaland state within the framework of the Indian Constitution and interference of West Bengal Government in the day-to-day functioning of GTA which has made it a total failure..," Contrary to expectations, Gurung said the Gorkhaland issue did not come up in the meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC) today. "It was not even discussed, which has made us more upset." 

The Morcha leaders confirmed that the GTA will be officially scrapped soon and all its executives would also quit. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said: "We will follow in the footsteps of our president. All members of GTA would resign, it would be defunct." The MLAs would also resign from the Assembly. Tuesday was the second day of the three-day bandh by GJM in support of its demand. A GJM supporter tried to immolate himself in support of the demand for Gorkhaland earlier in the day. Mangal Singh Rajput, who is unemployed, attended a party meeting before he set himself on fire around 1.25 pm at Damber Chowk. He was rescued by police and admitted to hospital with around 40 to 50 per cent burn injuries.