Fresh fault lines are emerging in the Darjeeling hills’ political landscape after BJP district (hill) president Sanjeev Lama launched a scathing attack on ally and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung, albeit without taking his name, warning that the latter would be “nowhere” without the BJP.

“Oh daju (elder brother)…please remember, the day the ties snap, the day BJP stops harbouring you, remember, you will be nowhere,” Lama said while addressing a public meeting at Darjeeling on Sunday, without taking Gurung’s name.

The context and the content of the speech left little doubt that Lama’s vitriol was against Gurung.

The BJP district president accused Gurung of being a narcissist.

“What is this pride about 'I'. What is this talk about? 'I only did things, I made someone', and so on. What about the public, who fought for a cause, sold gold ornaments to sustain the 105-day (Gorkhaland agitation called by Gurung), lost their near and dear ones, while the leaders fled when the CRPF came (to arrest them),” said Lama.

The BJP president's attack was strong and direct.

“It is after the BJP came to power that flags (of the Morcha) are fluttering. Cats became tigers overnight. Had the BJP not come to power, they (cats) would have been mice,” added Lama.

The BJP leader also said that “one should not eye the GTA but talk about Gorkhaland in front of the public”.

The BJP tied up with the Morcha, Gorkha National Liberation Front and the CPRM among other parties during the last Assembly elections.

Noman Rai, the president of the Morcha's youth wing, fought on a BJP ticket and won the Darjeeling seat.

Following the BJP’s victory, Gurung started mobilising his supporters and threatened to gherao Lal Khoti over allegations of corruption at the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and even asked his supporters to “spit on the faces” of Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa, who had fractured the Morcha in 2017.

Anit Thapa is the president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha and the chief executive of the GTA.

Asked for his reaction, Gurung on Monday told The Telegraph: “I do not want to comment on nonsense talks. My lower-rank leaders will respond.”

The "lower-rank leaders" demanded that Lama be removed as the BJP district president.

Lama said he had not named any leader in his speech. “I did not name any leader. But leaders have to remain disciplined and not utter nonsense,” said Lama

The differences between the allies have emerged ahead of Suvendu Adhikari's scheduled visit to the Darjeeling hills on Tuesday for the first time after assuming charge as the chief minister.

Adhikari will attend a public felicitation programme on the Monteviot Ground in Kurseong.