TMC Hills’ unit gears up for Mamata’s visit

SNS, Darjeeling, 21 October: The Hill unit of the Trinamul Congress (TMC) is now gearing up to show that it has eaten its way deep in the political space of the restive Hills to send shivers down the GJMM's spine. “Come Thursday and we would prove the point by way of a mammoth congregation at the public gathering of  Chief Minister Miss Mamata Banerjee at Chowrasta, the heart centre of the Hill station,” claimed the unit’s spokesperson, Mr Binny Sharma. Arches are being erected at several points to welcome the chief minister.

The observers said the ruling party has selected Chowrasta on design. “Things culminating in the frozen relation between the ruling party and the GJMM started from here, the nerve-centre of Darjeeling town, in the end of January when the CM proclaimed the indivisibility of Bengal, fuelling protest from a section of the people present. This time, she might reiterate her stance and it is expected that it would court applause instead of derision and protest,” an observer said.  

“We hope that over 20,000 people would turn up at Chowrasta to welcome Ms Banerjee,” said Mr Sharma, adding that about 4000 people associated with  different political parties are  likely to join TMC that day.

How the GJMM would react to the TMC’s gathering is not known. However, with the party opting for a rapprochement with the ruling party, there is little option of manoeuvrability left in them. Making it clear that the party is going for a truce, a senior party leader, deemed close to Mr Bimal Gurung, Mr Jyotikumar Rai, said the three MLAs of his party are likely to attend the TMC gathering at Chowrasta. “However, we have not received any invitation yet,” he said.  

Mr Gurung and Mr Roshan Giri, are out of the town now.