Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the Congress on Tuesday expelled its West Bengal unit general secretary Binoy Tamang for six years for "anti-party activities." This came hours after the Gorkha leader extended support to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat candidate Raju Bista.
"Binoy Tamang has been expelled from the party for six years for anti-party activities. His expulsion will be effective immediately," Congress leader and former MLA Manoj Chakraborty stated in an official notification.
'It does not really matter...': Tamang
Speaking to news agency PTI, Tamang said his expulsion from the Congress was a "victory for Gorkhas" and he was not much bothered by it. "It does not really matter... My expulsion from the Congress is a victory for the Gorkhas and a defeat for the grand old party," he added. Earlier in the day, Tamang predicted that the BJP would remain in power at the Centre and urged people of the hills to vote for Bista.
When did Tamang join Congress?
Earlier on December 18, the Congress had appointed Binoy Tamang as its general secretary and gave him the responsibility of the party's organisation in the Darjeeling Hills. Tamang, who was previously with the ruling Trinamool Congress, joined the Congress in November 2023.
Who is Binoy Tamang?
Binoy Tamang, a former leader of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha political party, has had a dynamic political journey. He initially joined the All India Trinamool Congress in 2021 but parted ways in 2022. Subsequently, in 2023, he affiliated himself with the Indian National Congress and rose to the position of State General Secretary within the party. Hailing from Darjeeling, Tamang's early years were shaped by his upbringing in the region, where he was deeply inspired by the tales of renowned Gorkhas and harboured aspirations to contribute to their advancement. His involvement with the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) in 1986 marked a pivotal moment, propelling him towards a leadership role within the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.
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