Hill leader Binay Tamang, who last month resigned as the president of one of the two factions of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, organised a “secret meeting” in Siliguri on Thursday to kickstart the “third chapter” of his political journey.
Sources said the invitees to the meeting were asked to switch off electronic devices to maintain the secrecy of the gathering.
Tamang had resigned from the faction on July 15 and had been lying low since then. His former deputy, Anit Thapa, is now heading the faction.
While resigning from the Morcha faction he headed since 2017, Tamang, who has been in politics for 33 years, first with the GNLF till 1999, and then with the Morcha from 2007 onwards, had stated that he would start the “third chapter” of his political journey.
Asked, the veteran leader said he organised the meeting at Hotel Sinclairs in Siliguri on Thursday. “Yes, a secret meeting was organised with various intellectuals from the hills and party leaders in Siliguri on Thursday,” Tamang told this paper.
Following the Siliguri meeting, Tamang’s supporters organised a meeting in Darjeeling on Saturday. Sources said that more than 50 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders were present at the meeting held at Sterling Resort in Ghoom, some 8km from Darjeeling town.
Tamang, however, was not present at the Ghoom meeting.
“I am told that my supporters will be organising similar meetings in Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik soon,” said Tamang.
Asked if he was planning to float a new political outfit, Tamang said that he was presently focussing on taking forward three major demands but added that he would make a major announcement within the next 15 days. These demands are revision of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty of 1950, inclusion of Darjeeling-Dooars and Terai regions in the ministry of development of north eastern region, and setting up of an All India Gorkha Assembly.
“At the moment I am focussing on certain demands. I will make an announcement within the next 15 days about the platform from which these demands will be raised,” said Tamang.
Tamang wants the Centre to set up a Gorkha Assembly which will not be restricted by any geographic boundaries but whose members should be constituted through adult franchise in Gorkha dominated areas across the country.
A couple of days ago, it came to the fore that Anit Thapa, currently heading the faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, has decided to float a new political party.
The new entity is expected to be floated in September.