Is Bimal Gurung scripting a comeback in Darjeeling politics under BJP govt?

Pushed to the margins during Trinamool Congress rule, the veteran Gorkha leader may find renewed relevance as the BJP regime prioritises north BengalFor nearly five years, Bimal Gurung appeared to have been pushed to the margins of Darjeeling politics. Once the undisputed face of the Gorkhaland movement, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief saw his influence wane during the Trinamool Congress (TMC) era amidst shifting political alliances, legal cases and the rise of rival hill leaders.The transition of power to the BJP in West Bengal, however, may be rapidly altering that equation. In perhaps a sign of his renewed relevance, Gurung held an extended meeting with chief minister Suvendu Adhikari in Kolkata on July 29, the discussions ranging from hill development and tea gardens to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), transport infrastructure and recruitment of school teachers.Emerging from the meeting, Gurung revealed the GJM had invited Adhikari to Darjeeling on October 7 for his party's foundation day celebrations, and that the chief minister had extended a positive response.The meeting comes at a time the BJP government is making north Bengal a political and administrative priority. For Gurung, this marks an opportunity for a political comeback. Political observers note that Gurung played a decisive role in the BJP's landslide victory across the three hill assembly constituencies in elections this year. His organisational network and enduring popularity among sections of the Gorkha population were credited with helping the BJP consolidate its hold over a region that has become increasingly fractured in recent years. Gurung’s outreach has not been limited to the chief minister. Over the past few days, he has met multiple members of the Adhikari cabinet, underscoring renewed engagement between the state government and the GJM. On July 27, the GJM delegation met law minister Biraj Biswas to press for the withdrawal of cases registered against Gorkhaland activists during TMC rule. The party argued that these cases had forced many of its leaders to keep off the hills for years.A day later, Gurung met panchayat minister Dilip Ghosh, demanding greater devolution of powers to the newly elected panchayats following the first rural polls in the hills in nearly two decades. The delegation also proposed dedicated disaster management infrastructure for every panchayat to improve preparedness against recurring natural calamities.In the meeting with Adhikari, the GJM demanded an impartial investigation into the alleged financial irregularities in the GTA during the TMC regime, urging the BJP government to reopen official files. Gurung said efforts were also underway to facilitate a fresh tripartite dialogue involving the Centre to discuss the long-pending Gorkhaland statehood issue. He announced that transport minister Arjun Singh would, on the chief minister's instructions, visit the hills next week to review transport-related concerns.For the BJP government, Gurung remains one of the few leaders commanding substantial support across vast sections of the Darjeeling hills. For Gurung, the meetings in Kolkata signal something equally significant: after years of political uncertainty, the veteran Gorkha leader appears to be steadily reclaiming his position at the centre of Bengal’s hill politics. The coming months will indicate whether that resurgence also translates into his larger role in shaping Darjeeling's political future.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- EndsPublished By: Shyam BalasubramanianPublished On: Jul 30, 2026 18:51 IST