GTA chairman joins TMC

Kurseong (WB), Aug 24 (PTI) In a major blow to GorkhaJanamukti Morcha (GJM) and Gorkhaland TerritorialAdministration (GTA), senior party leader and chairman of thebody Pradeep Pradhan along with 11 other leaders joined theruling Trinamool Congress today. Pradhan alias Bhupendra, a founding member of GJM, joinedTrinamool Congress (TMC) at a programme here in the presenceof TMC’s district observer and minister Arup Biswas. Over a hundred followers also joined the TMC through theday, prompting GJM’s student wing Vidyarthi Morcha to launch arelay hunger strike in Darjeeling and Kalimpong. The GJM leaders and members were welcomed to the TMC byWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee, who was speaking to media at Sukna on her wayback to Kolkata at the conclusion of her two-day visit tonorth Bengal, welcomed the GJM leaders and members to theparty fold, saying the people in the Hills want development. She criticised GJM leader and GTA Executive DirectorBimal Gurung for threatening armed movement for a separatestate and blamed the Centre for giving the support. Banerjee said the term of the present GTA board hadexpired four years ago but there has been no election. "He should have resigned much earlier. There is no pointin his saying he will quit now," she said. "If they (GJM) launch the movement, the government willtackle it in accordance with the law," she added. PTI COR KKMRJ