Centre meet call: Gurung

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Dec. 8: Bimal Gurung today said his meeting with the home minister was "positive" and the Centre will convene a tripartite meeting in January to discuss problems faced by the GTA.

The GTA chief executive, however, added that if meetings failed to yield results, the hill body could cease to function.

"The meeting with Union home minister Rajnath Singh (on December 2) was positive. A tripartite meeting will be convened in Delhi in the first week of January. If such meetings do not yield any result, then the GTA can be kept in cold storage," Gurung said.

The GTA has been alleging state interference in its functioning and state's reluctance to fully transfer 40 departments.

The state has called a bipartite meet here next week.

"I will leave for Delhi again on December 13 as we will hold a dharna and padayatra for three days from December17," Gurung said. He said he will go to Mumbai on December 23 for three days on Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's call.

Gurung welcomed the state's move to form Kalimpong district.

"We will be happy only after a notification is issued. Cabinet approval or promise before polls will not suffice."