Will ensure 17 to 18 seats of North Bengal for TMC: Gurung
Darjeeling: "Using us, the BJP had planned to secure their victory in the 2021 elections in West Bengal. We changed the political scenario. Now, joining hands with Mamata Banerjee we will sweep 17 to 18 seats of North Bengal for the TMC and ensure that Banerjee is the Chief Minister for the third term. We will teach BJP a lesson for betraying us. Banerjee has to give us a permanent political solution. With her as a medium, we will challenge the Union government," declared Bimal Gurung. He returned to the Hills on Sunday after a long gap of more than three years and addressed a rally at the Darjeeling Motor Stand.
Following a violent agitation in 2017, Gurung was absconding from the Hills. He suddenly resurfaced in Kolkata on October 21, 2020, and declared allegiance to the TMC thereby severing ties with long time ally BJP. "The BJP felt that I cannot return to the Hills as there were numerous cases against me and other leaders. They then used us; took advantage of this and fulfilled their selfish political aims. The BJP has not only betrayed Gurung, they have betrayed the Gorkhas. We had blindly supported the BJP. We made BJP MPs, MLA and Panchayat boards. They did not give us anything in return. They did not even live up to their commitment of including 11 Gorkha sub-communities in the Scheduled Tribe list. We realised this and changed the political scenario. We realised that there is no friend or foe in politics and joined hands with the TMC. We will give her victory and she will also give something (permanent political solution) for the Gorkhas. This has been discussed and she has assured us," stated Gurung.
He further stated that he had asked the government that Terai and Dooars should have development boards under the permanent political solution. "We got DGHC, GTA but Terai and Dooars were never given anything," he added.
Gurung stated that he will be staying in the Hills for the next 10 or 12 days and then go down to Terai and Dooars to rally for the TMC. On January 7, he will address a rally in Kalimpong and on January 25 at Sitong, Latpanchar in Kurseong. Gurung will be staying at the Bungalow in Puttabong Tea Estate till the completion of the renovation work at his residence.
