Kolkata: 'Bimal Gurung is a closed chapter now!'—that's what Binoy Tamang, the president of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, said after his 20-minutes long meeting with the Chief Minister at Nabanna on Tuesday afternoon. Tamang, whose party has been an ally of the ruling Trinamool Congress since 2017, once again ruled out any possibility of joining hands with Gurung and his men.
"He (Gurung) no longer exists in the syllabus. He is at present neither a subject nor an object," said Tamang, who also expressed his satisfaction over the meeting with Mamata Banerjee. Tamang along with Anit Thapa held the meeting with the Chief Minister in the presence of state urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim, the state public works department minister Aroop Biswas, chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and principal secretary of GTA Surendra Gupta.
The leader from the Hills emphasised that not even once did Gurung's name uttered or any reference indicating the latter were made at the meeting.
"The discussion with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was all about ensuring stability, peace and development in the Hills and nothing related to Gurung. Not even once the issue related to Gurung, who has 167 pending cases including UAPA against him, has cropped up in the meeting with the Chief Minister. No incident of violence has taken place in the Hills in the past three years. So, we have discussed how to maintain peace and harmony in the Hills," Tamang said.
Sticking to his previous statement made while en route Kolkata, Tamang reinstated that he wouldn't share any political or administrative platform with Gurung or his allies.
When asked about Gurung's move of extending support to Trinamool Congress, Tamang said: "Has any Trinamool Congress leader given any statement yet in this connection? This makes everything clear. Similarly, he has lost all significance in the Hills as well. The people have come on to the road showing resentment against him. It also shows that he has no entry to the Hills."
Earlier on October 21, Gurung had resurfaced in Kolkata after absconding for 3 years. The 'fugitive' leader—Gurung—had also claimed of snapping all ties with Bharatiya Janata Party to extend support to Trinamool Congress in the forthcoming Assembly polls in 2021.
In connection with Gurung's return to his home in Darjeeling, Tamang said being a citizen of the country it was important to go through the judiciary. "It is the people of the Hills who can give the best answer whether the peace there will get disturbed if Gurung returns," Tamang added.