Former Gorkha Janmukti Morcha general secretary floats new political party

After launching the new party, Thapa said that he will work towards the development of the hills.

Thapa took to twitter announced his decision to float his new party and welcomed a number of hills leaders for joining him. He tweeted, ‘I welcome Martin Daju (Central Committee Member) Nelson Pradhan(Sub-Division Spokesperson, Kurseong) Sachin Thakuri( Media In-Charge, Kurseong Sub-Division) from GJM (Bimal) to our team.’

In 2019, the West Bengal government had made Thapa became the chairman of the board of administrators of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), a semi-autonomous development body which governs the administration in Darjeeling. This was after Tamang stepped down from the post to contest the assembly by-election in Darjeeling, which he lost to BJP’s candidate.

Before the assembly polls this year, Thapa was removed from the GTA and the autonomous body is now being run by a senior bureaucrat.

Prior to Thapa, another GJM top leader Binay Tamang had also left the GJM. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which under Bimal Gurung had staged violent protests in Darjeeling in 2017, is almost in a state of dishevel.

Bimal Gurung demanded investigation against hill leaders including Anit Thapa.

Formation of another hill party is likely to cause more challenges to the West Bengal government, with the GJM being an ally of the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress. It will also pose challenges to hill leaders like Bimal Gurung and Binay Tamang.

Tamang, who had left the GJM on July 15, has not floated any political outfit yet. He may join Gurung’s faction or launch his separate party, people in the know said. Since 2017, Thapa has been the general secretary of the GJM faction of Tamang