Morcha meet to look at GTA poll timeline

VIVEK CHHETRI , TT, 21 Sep 2018, Darjeeling: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to convene a meeting of its core committee on Sunday (September 23) here to formalise its stand "on all major political issues." Keshav Pokhrel, a member of the committee, said "all major political issues" would be discussed at the meeting .

Sources maintain that the Morcha leaders are expected to discuss whether the party should request the state government to hold elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), before the Lok Sabha polls are held. While some party members want the elections before the 2019 parliamentary elections, others want it after the polls.

On Wednesday, the state government extended the tenure of board of administrators by another six months as per the provisions of the GTA Act, 2012. A section of the Morcha leadership, however, believes that instead of going for extensions every six months, it would be better for the party to face elections.

Issues like land rights to tea garden workers, minimum wages, demand for granting tribal status to 11 hill communities and development issues would also be discussed at the meeting, Pokhrel said.