Three days ahead of the Lok Sabha election in Darjeeling, the Congress party on Tuesday expelled prominent hill leader Binay Tamang for six years for his “anti-party activities”.
The development comes after Mr. Tamang extended support to the BJP’s Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat candidate, Raju Bista.
“Binay Tamang has been expelled from the party for six years for anti-party activities. His suspension will be effective immediately,” Congress leader and former MLA Manoj Chakraborty said.
Mr. Tamang was upset after the Congress fielded Munish Tamang, an academic, for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency.
A close aide of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung, Mr. Binay Tamang had played a crucial role in brokering peace with the State government during the 2017 agitation which claimed about 12 lives.
Mr. Binay Tamang joined the Trinamool Congress and later left it. He was also chairperson of regional autonomous body, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
Darjeeling will go to the polls on April 26. Mr. Bista is pitted against Trinamool Congress’ Gopal Lama. Munish Tamang of the Congress makes the contest three-cornered.
