TMC backs BGPM to push out Hamaro Party from Darjeeling municipality, loses MLA
TMC legislator Binoy Tamang announced his exit from the party, saying what had happened in Darjeeling municipality was “illegal and undemocratic”
SILIGURI: The Hamaro Party (HP), which won a clear majority in Darjeeling municipal elections in March this year, on Wednesday lost a floor test in the hill town’s municipal board following the exit of six of its 18 councillors who joined the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) in November.
“The board has been dissolved and the chairman (Ritesh Portel of Hamaro Party) removed from his post,” Bishnu Malla, one of the six HP councillors who switched over to BGPM, said after the floor test.
Twelve HP councillors and three from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) abstained from the no-trust vote claiming the floor test was being conducted ‘illegally.’ The remaining 16 councillors including two from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) participated in the floor test.
The HP, which was founded 13 months ago by Ajoy Edwards, owner of a famous confectionary outlet in Darjeeling, petitioned the Calcutta high court last week against the six councillors who switched sides in November. The court did not entertain the plea.
Ajoy Edwards said his party will move court again “as BGPM used unethical means to woo six HP councillors.”
One of the 32 municipal seats is lying vacant as Amar Lama, the BGPM general secretary, resigned as councillor to contest the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) election earlier this year. He lost.
Tapas Kumar Hazra, the Darjeeling municipality executive officer, said: “A requisition was placed by 16 councillors who wanted to prove their majority. They demanded the removal of the chairman but no meeting was called by the chairman. After that, seven days were given to the vice-chairperson to call a meeting but no meeting was held. A meeting was finally held on Wednesday where removal of the chairman was the main agenda.”
The political development in Darjeeling municipality led Binoy Tamang to quit the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday.
Tamang, who is the former chairman of the board of administrators of Gorkha Territorial Administration, joined the TMC last year and was against the two TMC councillors supporting the BGPM.
“What happened today is illegal and undemocratic,” Tamang said in a statement.
“Democracy in Darjeeling is under threat now. Trans frontier political outfits are remoting some of the leaders in Darjeeling hills and its foothills which is a matter of great concern for the nation’s security, integrity and sovereignty.”
On the sidelines of a victory rally, BGPM president Anit Thapa, who is also the chief executive of GTA, said: “It is a democratic process that proved our majority. Our board will be formed soon.”
