Bimal Gurung takes oath as GTA chief

Gurung's U-turn and return to GTA is seen as a political victory for Mamata Banerjee

Setting aside separate statehood demand in Darjeeling, GJM supremo Bimal Gurung today took oath as the new Chief Executive of the hill council in Darjeeling, from where he had resigned in July agitating for a separate state.

Gurung, in presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, state Cabinet and other leaders from the gorkha community, took the oath to the office of Chief Executive of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

The oath-taking ceremony was presided over by West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan. Gurung's U-turn and return to GTA is seen as a political victory for Banerjee, whose tough stance on the issue of Gorkhaland, forced the GJM strongman and his outfit to beat a retreat from their demand of separate state and return to the GTA.

Gurung had resigned from the post of GTA Chief Executive on July 30 after intensifying GJM agitation with the demand for Gorkhaland following the Centre's decision to create Telangana.

The Darjeeling hills faced intense agitation with violence being the order of the day. But police crackdown on GJM supporters and dissent among the people of the hills over regular shutdowns called by Gurung forced the Morcha to backout from the stir.