The exodus of leaders from the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) continued, with many of them pledging their support to Ajoy Edwards, the Darjeeling district branch president of the party, who has announced his resignation recently.

Today, the entire 32 members of the GNLF Darjeeling Town committee announced that they were leaving the party. Noted among the members included their president Robert Chettri, general secretary Gopal Pariyar and spokesperson Udip Moktan.

“The term of our town committee ended on 5 August itself, and a new committee had not been formed since our Darjeeling sub-divisional president Ajoy Edwards was out of the station. Now after he has already announced his resignation from the party, it does not make sense for us to remain here so we are also leaving the party,” said Mr Chettri.

“The reason I, along with some others, had joined the party was due to Ajoy Edwards and the social work he has been doing. Now we will support him in whatever he decides to do after he comes back, including opening a political party,” he added.

Speaking on the same lines, Mr Pariyar said, “It was due to the latest political scenario that I decided to leave the GNLF. I liked the vision of GNLF leader Subash Ghisingh, which is why I had joined the party, while I thought that this was one of the most honest regional parties. However, the conspiracy hatched by Mann Ghisingh (party president) and some others to remove Ajoy Edwards was in bad taste as he had done nothing wrong.

It is sad that such a thing was done to someone who took GNLF to such heights and also helped people.” According to Mr Pariyar, he had not left the party due to Mr Edwards leaving it, but due to there being no political security for any leader in the party.

“If Edwards can be treated like that, what security can be expected for other leaders? Moreover, I do not feel that under the leadership of Mann Ghisingh much can be achieved for the people of the Hills, Dooars and the Terai,” he said, adding that a huge number of people would go to the plains to welcome Mr Edwards to the Hills when he returns on 5 September.

It may be noted here that Mr Edwards announced his resignation from the party in a video clip he released from Ladakh, where he had been touring. He has said he would be returning to Darjeeling on 5 September, when he will also submit his resignation letter to the party.

Mr Edwards has said that he will continue his political journey. He had also recently sent audio messages to his party ‘family’ in which he has accused GNLF president Mann Ghisingh of betraying him and just using him politically.