WB govt revives Gorkha Territorial Administration with Tamang as chairman

Rebel leader Binay Tamang to replace Bimal Gurung, who resigned from the body in June this year

After talks between West Bengal government and the Darjeeling hill parties failed for the second time to resolve the onoging indefinite shutdown in the hills, the Mamata Banerjee-led government revived the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) and appointed rebel Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Binay Tamang as its chairperson.

The GTA was formed in 2011 after a tripartite agreement between the Centre, the state government and the hill parties which had administrative powers to govern the hills in northern West Bengal. However, all the 45 elected members of the GTA, including its then chairman and GJM supremo, Bimal Gurung, resigned from