Bimal Gurung sells out

A crucial turning point in the history of West Bengal and Darjeeling came on 13 May, with the collapse of the 34-year-old communist regime and the emergence of the new Trinamool Congress government. The day also saw a clear mandate for the push for Gorkhaland, with a record victory margin for the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which has been spearheading the agitation for a separate state since October 2007. The Morcha candidates for the three constituencies of Darjeeling district – Trilok Dewan, Harka Bahadur Chettri and Rohit Sharma from Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong, respectively – together secured the highest margin of votes ever recorded in the state, thus clearly indicating the people's aspirations for a separate state. Indeed, the results even showed similar support in the plains, where Wilson Chompromary, an independent MLA from Kalchini backed by the Morcha, won handily. Yet within days, the Morcha's own leadership had all but given up on the push for Gorkhaland.

On the day the results were announced, Morcha President Bimal Gurung triumphantly stated, 'This is a victory for Gorkhaland!' While the GJM victory had been expected, none had been forecasting such a large margin – particularly after the sudden early-April return of Subash Ghisingh, who had ruled over the Darjeeling Hills for the two decades leading up to mid-2008. Even after the surprise end to his hibernation, however, Ghisingh's party, the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), suffered an embarrassing defeat, with all three of the party's candidates losing. On 16 May, GNLF supporters were accused of violently attacking their Morcha counterparts, including stabbing one in the neck, and within hours Ghisingh had again left the Hills under cover of darkness.