Stand united, Mamata will deliver district: Harka

Rajeev Ravidas, TT, Kalimpong, Oct. 16: Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri today expressed confidence that the demand for a separate district of Kalimpong could materialise as early as December if the people of Kalimpong could demonstrate that they stood united on the issue.

Speaking at the first public meeting of the Kalimpong District Demand Committee, of which he is the chief co-ordinator, at Thanadara here, Chhetri said if the people could show before chief minister Mamata Banerjee that they were entirely behind the demand when she comes here in the next few weeks, the district could happen as early as December.

"We will all have to work for the sake of Kalimpong...If she (chief minister) wishes, everything can happen...After 15 days, when the chief minister comes here and makes a declaration, the following month in December, we will have the district, my dear friends," he said.

Chhetri spoke for close to two hours at the meeting attended by nearly 700 people..

Talking separately to The Telegraph later, the Kalimpong MLA (in picture on left) said he didn't think it was wise to bring the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on board the district demand committee given its antagonism towards the government and the damage that it could cause to the demand.