Giri team back, little to show

TT, Bagdogra (Siliguri), Aug. 11: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha team that camped in Delhi for eight days was unable to cite anything positive in its talks with leaders in the capital.

The leaders, who landed in Bagdogra this afternoon, said party president Bimal Gurung and the hill people would decide whether further talks would be held with the UPA government. Roshan Giri, the Morcha general secretary who led the team, evaded any direct reply when asked if Morcha leaders would go to Delhi again.

The team said it had met BJP leaders and Union finance minister P. Chidambaram in Delhi. They could not get an appointment with Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi.

“We could not meet the Union home minister as he is ill and we were not able to get an appointment with the Prime Minister, the UPA chairperson or Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi because of their busy schedules,” Giri said. “BJP leaders and NCP leader Sharad Pawar have said they would support our demand.”

He added: “We will apprise our party president of the developments. The next decision would be taken by him and the common people of the hills.”

A Morcha source said: “The party will have to prove that the Centre is not ignoring its demand. People were waiting for some positive news. Now that the team has returned virtually empty-handed, frustration would grow.”