Reshuffle in the Darjeeling civic body

Darjeeling : The chairman of the Darjeeling Municipality, B.B. Dewan, today stayed the civic board’s decision to reshuffle portfolios.

The board had yesterday adopted a resolution following which vice-chairman B.M. Limboo was removed from his post and three other councilors were stripped of their portfolios for “political” reasons. The decision was taken at a meeting attended by 18 of the 32 councilors.

“The councilors (who have been stripped of their portfolios) today appealed to me and until we hear them, I have put a stay on the resolution,” Dewan said today.

A few disgruntled board members alleged that they had not been invited to yesterday’s meeting.

While Bimal Gurung of Ward 21 has been selected as the new vice-chairman, Jigme Sherpa of Ward 11 is expected to take charge of conservancy — which used to be Limboo’s portfolio.

Romila Tamang (Ward 13) will replace Sushma Rai (Ward 29) as the in-charge of licences and Amrita Khati (Ward 3) will take over the accounts department from Dinesh Gurung (Ward 25). Bhakta Mukhia will look after water works instead of Hemanth Lepcha (Ward 27).

Dinesh Gurung, one of the councilors who lost their portfolios in the reshuffle, today said: “We have made it clear to the municipality chairman that the civic board is not governed by Deepak Gurung (the GNLF branch president).” The resolution of Thursday’s meeting had stated that the decision to reshuffle the board had been taken according to a letter from Deepak.

The GNLF leader, however, could not be contacted.

Source: The Telegraph