Buckling down under the state government’s pressure, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leadership has handed over all the three municipalities to the respective sub-divisional officers of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, officials said in Siliguri on Tuesday.
Former chairman of Darjeeling municipality, Pemba Tshering, who had assumed charges of the civic board illegally with the councillors of the outgoing board, told reporters that he had handed over charges to the SDO as directed by the GJM leadership on Monday.
The general secretary of GJM, Roshan Giri told PTI over phone that the decision was taken at the highest level of the party in the greater interest of the people, particularly Aila victims of the hills.
“We have changed our stand to help people, particularly Aila victims, get the relief without any further delay as GJM has always stood by the people,” he said while insisting that their demands were logical.
The state government had formed three boards with four members each, including the former chairman and vice-chairman of each municipality, headed by the SDOs of the respective sub-divisions.
However, the election for the boards could not be conducted as no one had filed any nomination to contest the polls following GJM’s dictat.
{{/usCountry}}However, the election for the boards could not be conducted as no one had filed any nomination to contest the polls following GJM’s dictat.
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