Tamang, who led the anti-GJM front in the Darjeeling hills, was hit with a kukri (long knife used by Nepalis) at around 9.30am, an official said.
"He was critically injured in the attack and died in the Darjeeling District Hospital," Darjeeling police station inspector-in-charge Indrajit Thapa said.
State municipal affairs minister Ashok Bhattacharya said in Kolkata that GJM supporters had carried out the attack on Tamang.
"The GJM's goons have committed the murder. GJM is a fascist party, which does not want any opposition in the hills. They are opposed to a democratic atmosphere prevailing in the hills," he said.
"We are deeply concerned. The hills are very tense," said Bhattacharya, who hails from Siliguri in Darjeeling district.
As news of Tamang's killing spread, a spontaneous shutdown began in the three Darjeeling hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.
Vehicles in Darjeeling went off the roads, while shops and markets were closed.
On hearing about the attack on Tamang, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee convened an emergency meeting at the state secretariat Writers' Buildings here and directed police and administrative officials to take all measures to keep the situation under control.
Tamang, a vocal opponent of the GJM, had earlier levelled corruption charges against its chief Bimal Gurung. The GJM had then threatened to banish him from the hills.
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