Mamata hopeful about Darjeeling’s future

PTI , ENS : Kolkata, Oct 23 2013: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday said that she was hopeful about the future of Darjeeling, where peace has returned after a series of bandhs crippled normal life in the recent past.

"I want people in the Hills to be happy. I want them to be have jobs, adequate food and facilities to help them lead a happy life," Mamata told reporters after an administrative meeting in Siliguri Tuesday. She is in Darjeeling for a three-day tour of the Hills.

"I love the Hills and its people just as I love the plains and its people," Mamata, who is scheduled to visit Kurseong Wednesday for a meeting with the Lepchas, said, adding, that she would meet the GJM leadership.

"I have told GJM members who approached me that I will meet them on October 25 (Friday)," she said.

She will be addressing a the first-ever political rally by the ruling party at Darjeeling Mall. Organized to strengthen the party's base in the hills, the meeting will also attempt to seek more people from the hills joining the TMC fold. Since the TMC's announcement of putting up its own candidate from Darjeeling in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, party leaders say a large number of GJM workers have joined the party, with more ready to come on board .

Meanwhile, drawing an end to all speculation over his visit to Assam along with party general secretary Roshan Giri, GJM president Bimal Gurung today returned to Darjeeling, and also confirmed that three party MLAs will meet Mamata during her "political visit", which, he said, "the Morcha has nothing to do with otherwise."

Questioning the visit's motive, Gurung wondered if "the ruling party will be able to meet the aspirations of the people in the hills".

Meanwhile, GJM central committee member Ramesh Alley today took the charge as GTA's chief executive.

When contacted, Alley said: "The CM would hold an official meeting with us and we do not have a problem with that. We have informed GTA Principal Secretary R D Meena to pass this information on to the government."