A storm is gathering in the Darjeeling hills. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) observed the first day of the 72 hour strike it had called in support of Gorkhaland. 12 vehicles were set on fire on NH-31A, the highway that connects Sikkim with the rest of the country. Thousands of Morcha supporters were deployed in the pickets set up by the GJM. Schools, markets and tea gardens remained closed. Attendance at government offices was thin. The GJM has announced that it will officially scrap the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) as soon as the Centre declares creation of the Telengana state. GJM President Bimal Gurung has said that he will resign from the post of chief executive of the GTA. The three GJM MLAs have also been asked to resign from the assembly and they are all willing.
It is not the peak season for tourists in Darjeeling. Those that had gone there have left. A member of Darjeeling Hoteliers Association has said that the common people are with the Gorkhaland agitation. The anti-Morcha parties have stated the differences with the GJM but made it clear that they also wanted Gorkhaland. It is understood that the Gorkhaland issue may be discussed at the meeting of the Congress Working Committee. Bimal Gurung has said that the proposal to give Gorkhaland the status of a Union Territory may be given due consideration by the GJM. But the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is now on a firm wicket after successfully riding the storm over the Panchayet elections. She can hardly be expected to accept any proposal from the Centre for the bifurcation of the state.