Kolkata: At a time when newly inducted TMC leader Binoy Tamang claimed that he had two meetings with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung for lending support to TMC in the hills, BJP MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma adding to the worries of the BJP left BJP group after no Gorkha featured in the new state committee.
Talking to Free Press Journal, the BJP MLA claimed that the Gorkhas had brought the saffron camp ‘prominence’ in the hills and also that he had left the party group after Gorkhas didn’t have a mention in the new state committee.
“The Gorkhas brought the BJP in power to the hills. If there is no Gorkha representative in the state committee then who will address the problems of Gorkhas? I have written a letter to party chief Sukanta Majumdar and the only reply I got is that I am free to hold a meeting with him,” said Sharma.
It can be recalled that after BJP Alipurduar MP John Barla this MLA earlier this month had demanded for a separate statehood for North Bengal to address the problems of the Gorkhas.
It is pertinent to mention that after joining TMC Binoy Tamang who had a factional feud with GJM chief Bimal Gurung in 2017 claimed that he met with Gurung and discussed ways to portray TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee as the next Prime Minister of the country.
“Gurung affirmed that he will lend support to TMC supremo as we all want her to be the next PM of the country. I will hold some more meetings with Gurung and TMC leader of North Bengal Gautam Deb to campaign for TMC ahead of the GTA election,” Tamand was heard saying.
Incidentally, Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) meeting is scheduled early next year and the TMC is trying to make inroads to win back the seats that BJP won in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
It is pertinent to mention that not just Gorkhas, even the Matuas who were the main target ahead of Lok Sabha and 2021 Assembly election for the saffron camp had also left party group over the same issue.
Former Union Minister and TMC leader Babul Supriyo slammed BJP after-party MLAs left the party’s group.
“One after another wicket is falling from the BJP. Shiv babu (Shiv Prakash, one of the incharge of the state during the Assembly election) must have gone back to Mount Kailash (retired). If anyone wants to see Bengali crabs who pull down others from behind should visit Murlidhar Lane (BJP headquarters in the city),” read Supriyo’s tweet in Bengali.
