Trinamul switch claim

Oct. 20: Trinamul Congress leaders have claimed that over 700 people who were Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters have joined the state’s ruling party in Kurseong and Kalimpong.

The drives to woo Morcha supporters were carried out in the Mahanadi-Gayabari area in Kurseong subdivision and Gorubathan block in Kalimpong subdivision that skirts the edge of the Dooars and Jalpaiguri district.

On October 23, the chief minister is to meet the members of the Lepcha development board in Kurseong.

In the Mahanadi-Gayabari area in Kurseong, Trinamul said 63 families who used to support the Morcha have joined their party.

“Sixty-three families from the area have joined the Trinamul today,” said N.B. Khawash, general secretary of the hill Trinamul.

In Darjeeling, Rajen Tamang, who was a one-time trusted lieutenant of Bimal Gurung from Tukvar, was today made the convener of Trinamul in the Darjeeling subdivision.

“Today, nearly 700 people left the Morcha and joined Trinamul…. They have joined us for the sake of development,” said hill Trinamul vice-president Urgyen Sherpa in Gorubathan.