GJM expels Binay Tamang, Anit Thapa; to join all-party meet

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leadership on Friday expelled the Morcha's Joint Secretary Binay Tamang and senior party leader Anit Thapa, accusing them of conspiring to derail the Gorkhaland movement in the north Bengal hills.

"The GJM central committee has expelled Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa from the party. They were not working in sync with the party's aspirations and attempted to derail the Gorkhaland movement," GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri told IANS.

Tamang, who was also the Chief Coordinator of the party, was removed from his post on Thursday evening after he announced withdrawal of the indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling hills for 12 days.

Other senior leaders of the GJM, including party chief Bimal Gurung, vehemently rejected the news that the shutdown had been called off and alleged Tamang and Thapa of conspiring with the state government.

Giri also informed that some of the GJM leaders would be present at the September 12 all-party meeting convened by the state government.

"We have decided to send some of our party leaders in the all-party meeting," he said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee decided to hold a second round of all-party meeting in the north Bengal branch of state Secretariat -- Uttarkanya -- after finding the first leg of meeting in Kolkata "satisfactory".

--IANS

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