COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 20: The Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Association (GCPA) is turning itself into a political party. The name of the new party will be Greater Coochbehar Democratic Party (GCDP). The announcement was made by the leadership of the GCPA at Kharija Baladanga village in Dinhata sub-division after a meeting of the executive committee of the GCPA, today. Though a new party was formed, the GCPA will not be winded up, leaders said. 

GCPA president Mr Ashutosh Barma said that from now on the GCDP would participate in all elections including panchayat elections. He declared that they would field candidates in the next three-tier panchayat elections. Mr Barma made it clear that they will not leave their original demand that is implementation of the merger agreement signed between the Maharaja of Cooch Behar and Government of India. No political party came up to help them to get their demand fulfilled and so they had to choose the parliamentary way, he explained. 

128-member central committee of the GCDP was formed today. An executive committee was also formed with 21 members. Mr Barma said that the new party would be a presidential party. Mr Ashutosh Barma, Mr Rabiul Islam and Mr Phanindra Nath Barman were appointed as the president, vice-president and organising secretary respectively while Mr Bhabesh Barman would be the convenor. Mr Ajit Kumar Barman, Mr Haripada Adhikary and Mr Girija Sankar Roy were appointed as financial secretary, cultural secretary and negotiation secretary respectively. The new committee will be valid for the next four years. 

General secretary of GCPA Mr Bangshi Badan Barman is now in Cooch Behar District Correctional Home. He will get a honourable post in the party after coming out from the jail, GCDP leaders said. 

Youth, women and student wings of the new party will be formed in a phased manner, GCDP leaders said. The party will form committees such as booth committees, anchal committees, sub-divisional committees, district committee, central committee and executive committee. 

The GCDP will make appeal to the Election Commission for recognition as a political party, Mr Barma said. 

A large contingent of police was deployed to maintain peace at Kharija Baladanga village that is near Jarabari village where the head quarters of the GCPA is situated. []