Sidelined, Gurung blames big parties for his ‘halat’ in Darjeeling Hills politics
Telegraph | 11 February 2026
Once capable of deciding political fortunes in Darjeeling hills, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung sounds bitter.
The hill leader indirectly held both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP responsible for his present “halat (state)".
When asked whether he would support the BJP or Trinamool in the coming Assembly polls, Gurung, whose Morcha is currently in alliance with the BJP, said no decision had been taken.
“Hum log ka abhi decision nahi hua hai.TMC, BJP hum log sab ko dekha hai na, sab party ko dekha hai aur hamra halat aisa banaya na…. (We have not taken any decision now. We have seen both the TMC and the BJP and we have been reduced to this state).”
Gurung had absolute control of Darjeeling from 2007 to 2017. In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, his party singlehandedly ensured the victory of BJP candidate Jaswant Singh from Darjeeling.
However, during the 2011 Bengal Assembly election he leaned towards Trinamool in a bid to uproot the Left Front.
Bimal party’s and Trinamool agreed on the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in 2012 and he once described Trinamool supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee as “hamara maa (our mother).
Gurung’s ties with Mamata, however, blew hot and cold. He backed BJP leader S.S. Ahluwalia during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and ensured his victory.
During the Gorkhaland agitation of 2017, the Trinamool-led state government crushed the movement with a heavy hand and Gurung went underground. But his clout was such that he ensured the victory of BJP MP Raju Bista in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Before the 2021 Bengal Assembly polls, Gurung emerged from hiding to back Trinamool and openly criticised the BJP.
“The moment he decided to support Trinamool in the 2021 Assembly polls, Gurung lost popular support overnight,” said an observer. Since then, Gurung has not been able to recover lost ground and his party could not win later elections of the GTA or panchayats.
“No wonder he talked about his halat in the hands of Trinamool and the BJP,” the observer added.
Sources said Gurung wants the BJP to back his party candidate in at least one of the three hill seats during the 2026 Bengal polls, but the BJP has not made him any commitment. "The BJP has made rapid inroads in the hills and is not dependent on him like before,” said a source.
This apart, the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, founded in September 2021 and helmed by Anit Thapa, now controls the GTA. Ajoy Edwards, leader of the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front, is a key Opposition voice.