Kolkata, May 28 (IANS): Just before the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) polls in Darjeeling in the northern West Bengal in June, the ruling Trinamool Congress received a major jolt.
The Anit Thapa-founded Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) on Saturday announced its decision to move out of the alliance with Trinamool and instead contest the GTA polls in its own strength.
The BGPM is the second-most powerful political force in the hills after Ajoy Edward- founded Hamro Party, as per the results of the Darjeeling Municipality polls conducted early this year.
At a time when it was almost certain that BGPM and Trinamool will contest the GTA polls together with a seat-sharing ratio 35: 10 in the 45-seat GTA, BGPM General Secretary, Amar Lama ruled out the possibility of seat-sharing with the state's ruling party.
"The seat sharing agreement was nothing but a rumour. We will be contesting in all the 45 seats of GTA on our own," said Lama while announcing the names of 11 party candidates in the first phase. He said that the names of the remaining candidates will be announced at the earliest.
Anit Thapa was originally associated with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and was also a close associate of its supremo Bimal Gurung. However, at a later stage, Thapa developed differences with Gurung, separated from the GJM, floated the Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (GPM) and developed a sweet relationship with Trinamool and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
However, differences between Thapa and Trinamool started developing, when last year Gurung came out of the underground and entered into an arrangement with the Trinamool.
Since then tnhe BGPM-Trinamool relationship started developing cracks and finally on Saturday the fissures developed into a complete separation.
However, no reaction was available from the Trinamool till this report was filed. Political analysts feel that the balancing act played by the ruling party leadership between the GJM and the BGPM, resulted in the final separation of political understanding.