CM given rousing welcome in Hills: 3 day visit

SNS, DARJEELING, 27 MARCH 2022: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in Darjeeling in the evening today on a three-day visit.

Miss Banerjee is scheduled to attend an official programme at Chowrasta here and is most likely to meet leaders of different political parties regarding elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), which she says she wants to hold in May-June.

The CM had last visited the hills at Kuresong in October last year, where she had held an administrative meeting. In that meeting she had also asked the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha and the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha to prepare a proposal regarding a 'Permanent Political Solution (PPS) for this area, which the parties concerned are yet to speak about.

Today, leaders and supporters of the BGPM and the TMC (Hills) welcomed the CM at Kurseong and in Darjeeling, along with some organisations.

Similarly TMC (Hills) supporters were seen welcoming her at Sonada, Rangbull, Ghoom, along with different places in Darjeeling. BGPM leaders and supporters were seen near Bhanu Bhawan welcoming the CM.

Apart from the programme at Chowrasta on 29 March, her other programmes here are not clear as yet.

Before coming to Darjeeling today, she attended a programme in Siliguri, where she said, "I want GTA elections to be held in May-June and have to talk with some political parties regarding it. I have also taken up the issue of the three-tier panchayat elections in the Hills with the Centre as a constitutional amendment is needed for it."