Kolkata Dec 24 PTI Months ahead of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration GTA election former GJM leader Binay Tamang who had quit the hills-based party earlier this year joined the ruling Trinamool Congress on Friday Former Gorkha Janmukti Morcha GJM MLA Rohit Sharma also joined Mamata Banerjees party Tamang and Sharma were handed over TMC flags by state ministers Moloy Ghatak and Bratya Basu When asked about his stance on the Gorkhaland statehood issue Tamang said the development of Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills is his top priority Development of the hills is my top priority The BJP is trying to use the statehood issue to fool the people of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts Since 2009 they have been saying that they support the Gorkhaland demand but have not done anything towards it he said Tamang who had broken away from Bimal Gurung-led GJM in 2017 and led a faction of the party quit the hills-based outfit in July this year Election to the 45-member GTA is likely to be held early next year The last election to the semi-autonomous council was held in 2012 Tamangs joining the TMC comes at a time when a section of BJP leaders have renewed the demand for Gorkhaland state and also sought to carve out north Bengal as a centrally-administered Union territory citing disparity in development and injustice to the people of the region PTI PNT ACD ACD

Darjeeling (West Bengal) [India], September 10 (ANI): Former Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Anit Thapa launched a new party Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) on Thursday.

Kolkata Aug 30 PTI Bishnupur MLA Tanmoy Ghosh joined the Trinamool Congress on Monday alleging that his BJP was indulging in vindictive politicsSpeaking to reporters Ghosh claimed that the BJP was also attempting to trigger chaos among the people of West Bengal because of which he joined the TMCI urge all to join the TMC for the welfare of West Bengal There is a need to strengthen the hands of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee he saidBJP is doing vindictive politics and attempting to create chaos among the people of the state Ghosh said adding that these were the reason for him to join the TMCHe had switched over to the BJP from TMC in March days ahead of the state elections Earlier he was the TMC Youth president of Bishnupur town in Bankura district and also a councillor of the local civic bodyWelcoming Ghosh to the party fold state Education Minister Bratya Basu said BJP is trying to take post-poll revenge against the TMCWe will fight the BJP politically It is also trying to belittle the people of West Bengal he saidBasu said many BJP leaders are in touch with the TMCWe appeal to all to join the TMC But who will be taken in will be decided by the party leadership he saidThe BJP won 77 of the 292 seats of West Bengal assembly that went to the polls The Trinamool Congress won 213 seats while ISF and GJM bagged one seat each Voting in Jangipur and Samserganj had to be postponed after the death of one candidate each in the two seatsBJP MLAs Nisith Pramanik and Jagannath Sarkar resigned to retain their Lok Sabha seats while Mukul Roy switched over to the TMC However Roy continues to be a BJP MLA officiallyBasu said BJP MLAs of Tripura are also in touch with the TMCWhen Mamata Banerjee steps in Tripura there will be a tsunami BJP leaders of that state are pretty aware of this he saidTripura under BJP has been transformed into a valley of fear Basu alleged PTI dc CORR SOM SOM