Binay Tamang on Wednesday announced sweeping changes in his faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha by announcing that henceforth, only he would speak to the media on party affairs, recasting local committees and asserting that he would prefer leaders with mass support to those with negligible popular backing.

He said the changes were avowedly being brought about to streamline and strengthen the Morcha to prepare for coming elections.

Many in the hills, who are keenly following the activities and performance of the Tamang faction, believe he is probably making a last ditch attempt to change the party in the hope that his group emerges as a formidable force before elections to municipalities, panchayats and even the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

“The party received a drubbing in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha election and Assembly bypoll in 2019 and managed to win only one of the three hill seats in the recent Assembly elections,” said an observer. “The Tamang camp has not grown in terms of popular support despite being in power by virtue of being in control of the GTA in the past four years.”

Tamang on Wednesday said the “party’s support base” had increased if one were to go by the Assembly election results as it had won the Kalimpong seat and come second in Darjeeling and Kurseong constituencies.

“We did analyse our election results. We need to be fully prepared to face future elections and that is why are bringing in changes in the party,” said Tamang.

In a clear indication that he was unhappy with the functioning of party leaders, Tamang said: “Leaders who cannot bring in supporters will have to remain as ordinary members in the party. We will give positions to those leaders who bring in supporters.”

Issuing a media gag on all party leaders, Tamang, said henceforth, there would be no party spokesman and the president would personally issue all statements.

“From today, no one will give media interviews. There will be no party spokesman. I will issue all press statements and if I am preoccupied, I will designate a senior leader to issue press statements on that particular day,” said Tamang.

At a time when social media wings of every political party play a major role in disseminating information, many hill residents wondered if Tamang’s decision could put the party at a disadvantage.

Tamang also dissolved the sub divisional committees of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong and constituency committees of Mirik and Soureni. He decided to personally monitor the central and district committees of the women and youth wings, too.

“None — even the general secretary — will be allowed to take any decision without consulting me,” said Tamang.

Anit Thapa, the second in command of the faction, is the general secretary.

Tamang directed Thapa to submit “a report on the party’s organisation” by July 10 but “after duly consulting” respective leaders of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.

Tamang has decided to run the Darjeeling and Kurseong subcommittees through handpicked leaders until the report is placed by the general secretary. Two leaders were handpicked to look after party activities in the Mirik and Soureni constituencies.

Tamang and Thapa have also decided to hold “a high level meeting” in Kalimpong soon to rejig the district committee there.

The party is thinking of forming a committee to monitor the party’s central committee and reorganising its 23 frontal organisations.

“I do not need an army of Kauravas but that of Pandavas,” Tamang said in a clear message that he was preferring performing leaders in the party.

Many believe Tamang is under pressure to show his mandate and hence, there are sweeping changes. “He probably thinks a major leadership rejig is needed for the party to survive,” said an observer.

A poor performance by Tamang’s party in the coming elections would put a question mark on its future.