GJM chief Bimal Gurung admitted to Sikkim's STNM Hospital

GANGTOK: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung, who fell ill while staging a hunger strike and was hospitalised, was on Monday shifted to Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital in Sikkim.

Gurung was earlier admitted to a hospital in West Bengal's Darjeeling after his health condition deteriorated while sitting on a hunger strike to press for his demand to defer the upcoming Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) polls and hold it only after expanding the jurisdiction of the semi-autonomous council.

Doctors attending to Gurung said he has high blood sugar level, which was fluctuating, and he was passing blood through his urine, which is why he was shifted to STNM Hospital.

"We have shifted our party supremo to Sikkim as STNM Hospital has good infrastructure," GJM leader K Rai said.

He has been provided with all necessary medical facilities and doctors are attending to him, he added.

Gurung had launched the hunger strike at his party office in Singamari in Darjeeling town on May 25 demanding the deferment of GTA polls until the Memorandum of Proposal (MoP) submitted by GJM is implemented.

Among others, it demands the inclusion of 396 mouzas in the GTA and transfer of some departments to the council.

The West Bengal government has so far remained mum on Gurung's demands.

The state administration has issued a notification, announcing the GTA polls on June 26.

The elections to the GTA were last held in 2012.

The GJM had swept the polls, winning all 45 seats.

However, newly floated Hamro Party, launched by restaurateur Ajoy Edwards, has swept the recent civic elections in Darjeeling Municipality.