The agitation in Darjeeling culminated in Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) President Bimal Gurung and 44 colleagues in the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) quitting a six year long association beginning in
July 2011 with Gurung signing the Hill autonomy agreement with the West Bengal government and the Centre being terminated. The second round of the movement for Gorkhaland has begun. However, the Hills
parties are not yet united in the showdown. The GNLF is still waiting for the fusion which is likely to take place after the meet on June 29. With the resignation of Bimal Gurung from the GTA, the Hills parties will get a level playing ground to chart out the future course. The GNLF has indicated that it has no objection to the GJM taking the lead.
GJM leaders have now given priority to mobilisation instead of confrontation. Discipline will be the watchword without compromising on the Gorkhaland issue. Darjeeling police will also be on the alert to prevent a flare-up as happened on June 17 causing bullets to fly. Gurung has requested leaders of the Opposition parties to come out in the streets with the GJM as their condition has been met – that the GJM quits the GTA. At the same time Gurung has kept the doors open for talks with the West Bengal government and the Centre though he will not accept any interim arrangement. It appears that the GJM still banks on the NDA government’s support for the creation of small states although Darjeeling is too small to be compared with Telengana. In any event, an understanding with Mamata Banerjee’s government at this stage seems absolutely out of the question. Darjeeling’s future hangs
in the balance.