Darjeeling, April 2: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s Pemba Tshering Ola was today elected as the chairman of the Darjeeling Municipality, ending a four-month impasse at the civic body.

The Bengal government had earlier called for a fresh election to the post of the civic chairman, cancelling the one held on January 14 and won by the GNLF.

This morning, 16 of the 28 ward councillors — all of them owing allegiance to the Morcha — attended a meeting and unanimously voted for Ola.

The remaining 12 “independent” councillors, however, stayed away from the meeting, which was convened by Darjeeling subdivisional officer S. Deb and overseen by government observer Pranita Pariyar nee Sewa.

In the afternoon, Ola was sworn in chairman after the state government accepted the validity of the elections. “My first priority will be to curb all forms of corruption within the municipality. We will also ensure that all official work, like clearing building plans, is completed within three weeks,” said the new chairman.

Ola’s grandfather, father and wife have all been councillors in the Darjeeling Municipality.

Sources said the chairman would nominate Dinesh Gurung, the councillor of Ward 25, as his deputy at the board meeting scheduled to take place at 9am tomorrow. The chairman-in-council of the 19 civic departments will also be decided at the meeting.

Following today’s development, the GNLF has technically lost control of Darjeeling town because currently, none of the 28 councillors are with the party.