Kolkata – The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), led by Bimal Gurung, has called an all‑party meeting for September 9 to work on a lasting political plan for the hill districts of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong in northern West Bengal.
The decision came after the GJM held a party conference on Tuesday night, where its General Secretary Roshon Giri announced the date. “The Union government has named an interlocutor to start tripartite talks on a permanent solution in the hills,” Giri said. “This meeting will bring all parties together to agree on key development points for the region.”
Last month, New Delhi appointed former Deputy National Security Adviser Pankaj Kumar Singh to serve as the interlocutor. The talks aim to address the long‑running demand for a new state, Gorkhaland, which would include not only Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong but also parts of the Terai and Dooars in North Bengal.
The invitation has drawn sharp opposition from the West Bengal government and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the prime minister to revoke the interlocutor appointment. Political analysts see the meeting as a key development ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections next year, which will include three hill constituencies: Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.
In the 2021 assembly polls, GJM‑backed BJP candidates won in Darjeeling and Kurseong, while a Trinamool‑backed Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) candidate took Kalimpong. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP’s Raju Bista retained the Darjeeling seat.
The GJM and TMC’s standoff over the interlocutor and the Gorkhaland issue continues to shape the political landscape of northern West Bengal.
Source: ianslive
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
