Bimal Gurung has decided to postpone his first public meeting at Kurseong in more than three-and-a-half years as it coincided with the first teachers’ eligibility test (TET) conducted by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) this Sunday.

“I have been forced to take this decision as the future of the younger generation is more important. Our public meeting and TET exams are coinciding but public meetings can be held on any other date,” said Bimal Gurung, president of his faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

The meeting would now be held on Monday, he said.

Around 14,500 candidates will appear for the GTA’s TET from 11. 30am to 2pm in 32 centres across the hills.

With Gurung’s proposed mega show at Kurseong on Sunday — his first address in the hill town after being on the run since August 2017 — there were fears among many candidates of inconveniences in reaching exam venues.

A political observer said at this moment Gurung could not afford to inconvenience the general public.

The TET exam recently come into focus after an audio clip purportedly that of a teacher associated with the Gurung camp, Kamal Thapa of Rohini Tea Primary School, surfaced on social media, where the teacher was heard directing a candidate to fill up the TET application form stating she has a diploma certificate in elementary education (D.EL.Ed) obtained between 2015 and 2017. Thapa purportedly said he could provide the certificate for Rs 1.5 lakh and a primary teacher’s job for Rs 3 lakhs. Thapa was expelled by the party after the audio clip surfaced in public domain.

Leader quits

Raju Pradhan, the founding assistant secretary of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Gurung camp), quit the party on Thursday.

“I decided to quit as I did not like the party’s decision to align with Trinamul,” said Pradhan.