On talks table: No Gorkhaland, only GTA projects

ENS, Kolkata, Sun Nov 17 2013: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has put its demand for a separate Gorkhaland state on the backburner — at least for the time being. This would be evident at the bipartite and tripartite meetings, scheduled on November 20 and 21, where the the ruling party in Darjeeling is unlikely to raise the Gorkhaland issue and discuss only development projects under the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA).

"The main agenda of the bipartite and tripartite meetings is GTA and development projects. We are now keeping other issues aside, " said GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, who is also an executive member of the GTA.

While the bipartite meeting will be attended by Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra, Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee and secretaries of 10 other departments, the tripartite meeting will be attended by a senior central government official of assistant secretary rank, said Giri.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung would hold a public meeting Sunday in Kalimpong where he is likely to inform people about the development schemes that GTA would undertake in future.

Even though Gurung is yet to hold talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the party has begun working with the Trinamool Congress and the state government as well.

According to the sources in the GJM ranks, the ruling party in the hills is now waiting for the winter session in Parliament when the Telangana bill would be tabled.

"During the bipartite meeting, we would request the TMC leaders and the government to support the Telangana bill. From our sources in Delhi, we can understand that the BJP might not support the bill. But we want the bill to be passed, as it will make way for Gorkhaland," said a senior leader of GJM central committee.

Now, Mamata goes after GNLF

The state government has now begun coming down heavily on the GNLF (Gorkha National Liberation Front) — the second largest party in the hills at present. On Friday, the police picked up six senior GNLF leaders from various parts of Darjeeling.

According to sources, Sandip Lama, a Siliguri-based realtor, was arrested from his residence in Darjeeling. Even though police claimed that he has been arrested for his attempt to set a police camp on fire, sources said Lama was under the scanner for funding GNLF.