The Trinamul Congress welcomed Mr Gurung’s decision to repose his faith in Miss Banerjee’s leadership.
“We welcome Bimal Gurung’s commitment to peace and decision to withdraw support from NDA, while reposing faith in Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. BJP’s attempts to use Gorkhaland issue for petty politics and teir untrustworthy nature now lay fully exposed before people of Bengal,” the party said in its official Twitter handle.
“We are confident that all the key stakeholders in the Hills, including political parties and GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration), along with civil society will work together and join hands with us for the peace and prosperity of our motherland,” it added.
BJP hits back
The BJP, on the other hand, said that the state government adopted “pressure tactics” to force Mr Gurung to support the Trinamul Congress.
“I do not want to question his decision. It is his right, (to withdraw support from one party and support another), but my question is something else. How did the police not arrest someone who has been charged in several police cases, including those under the UAPA? A chargesheet was also filed against him for the death of a police officer (during the 2017 Gorkhaland agitation in the hills,” said the General Secretary of the state BJP, Sayantan Basu.
“Another thing is that Mr Gurung has claimed that the BJP did not do anything regarding the Gorkhaland demand and permanent political solution, and that the chief minister has done what she had promised. But has she agreed to his demand for Gorkhaland?” he added.
Mr Basu demanded explanation from the CM and the TMC on these issues.