CM to step into hills today after 8 months

Mamata addresses the Trinamul student and youth workers in Siliguri on Monday. Picture by Passang Yolmo

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Feb 06, 2018, Siliguri: Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will step into the Darjeeling hills on Tuesday after a gap of eight months, riding on the hope that the state government has a grip on the situation and the Binay Tamang lobby of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha faces no threat from rival group in the party.

"I will go to the hills tomorrow (Tuesday) after a long time. Those who are in the GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) have taken up development projects (in the hills) and are trying to upkeep peace and amity, along with some others. We will attend some programmes and meet the hill residents again," the chief minister told a gathering of members from the Trinamul Congress's student and youth wings.

It was during Mamata's last visit to Darjeeling in June that a clash broke out, leading to the resumption of the statehood movement and a 104-day shutdown.

"The chief minister's visit is significant and indicates that Binay Tamang lobby of the Morcha has managed to drum up enough support in the hills. The state police are in complete control over the hills and that is why the chief minister has decided to move to the hills," said an observer.

"The weakening of the Bimal Gurung lobby of the Morcha and the setback faced by the BJP in the hills also contributed to Mamata's decision," he added.

At Monday's meeting, Mamata Banerjee and Youth Trinamul president Abhishek Banerjee asked workers of frontal organisations to pull up their socks to galvanise support, right up to the booth level, across north Bengal ahead of rural polls.

"You should get into consistent political activities to ensure that the BJP does not find space in any booth. The women workers of our party, youths and students will have to take up programmes from now on against the central government and the BJP. Meetings, rallies and conventions should be organised in each block and district," said Mamata.

"The Centre had said that it would reopen the tea estates of Duncans (Goenka Group) but did nothing. We have reopened some gardens and will see others too, resume functioning. We have taken up the task of recognising the Rajbangshi and Kamtapuri languages. Those who are looking after our trade union should see that issues are settled amicably and gates of no industrial units close down due to any agitation," added the Trinamul supremo.