GJMM team off to Delhi with Gorkhaland demand

SNS, Bagdogra, 25 February 2014: A five-member Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) delegation led by the party general secretary, Roshan Giri, left for New Delhi today.

According to the GJMM leaders, they will meet Union ministers and senior leaders from several political parties to press them on their demand for Gorkhaland.

"We will try to meet Union ministers, including the home minister, aside from a host of leaders from BJP, Samajbadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. Once in Delhi, we will seek appointments with them," Mr Giri told reporters at Bagdogra airport. According to him, the Centre has a bigger role than the state government when it comes to creating a separate state.

"As the onus of creating news states rests with the Centre we are not for badgering the state government on the statehood demand," he said.

Asked how this visit of theirs will further the cause they are championing when the Parliament session is over for now, Mr Giri said they will raise their demands with the political leaders and ministers in meetings with them. In another context, he said the GJMM has not taken any decision on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The other members of the delegation are Ram Bhujel, BP Sharma, Norden Lama and Swaraj Thapa.