Bimal Gurung at the Morcha office in Patlebas in Darjeeling on Monday. Picture by Suman Tamang

Siliguri, Aug. 11: The animosity faced by the CPM in the hills in the past few months will top the list of priorities at a discussion to be held when chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee comes here on August 16.

The RSP’s sudden demand to remove state urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya from the post of district Left Front convener will also be brought to Bhattacharjee’s notice.

A party source said today that after the formation of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, CPM leaders in the hills, including S.P. Lepcha, K.B. Wattar and Tara Sundas, had to face a series of agitation — ranging from confinement and boycott to disconnection of essential supplies like water.

“Often they were told to choose between leaving the party and the hills,” the source said.

“We had to refrain from holding any political activity, apprehending further oppression. The issue will be discussed at the meeting and we will seek the chief minister as well as the state government’s intervention.”

The Morcha action, he said, had triggered protests, but only in Siliguri. “We informed the administration and although there were some interventions, we continue to face the same problem. No steps were taken against Morcha supporters and leaders for confining or threatening us and our families as the state government has taken the stance to remain silent and wait for the tripartite meeting on the hills,” the sources said. “We will raise this point as well, mentioning our plight.”

The Morcha acquisition of the party office in Kalimpong and its assertion through Dinesh Gurung to take over the district office in Darjeeling would also be discussed.

“The acquisitions will come as a jolt to the party and can create confusion among hill people who are still with us. The Morcha is trying to employ the same tactics on us as they did on the GNLF. They laid siege to GNLF offices and their homes, prompting some prominent faces from Subash Ghisingh’s party to leave for Siliguri. Even Ghisingh was forced to come down,” the party source said.

The taking over of homes of CPM leaders (or the party offices) could bring down whatever little support base the party enjoys in the hills. When the house of a prominent leader is taken over, the grassroots supporters start feeling insecure. “This builds up a pressure on the leader,” said the source.