Bimal Gurung-Led All-Party Meeting Reaffirms Gorkhaland Demand, Seeks Immediate Tripartite Talks with Centre

KalimNews, August 3, 2026, Kalimpong: A crucial all-party meeting convened by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) under the leadership of its president Bimal Gurung in Darjeeling has once again brought the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland to the forefront. Representatives of major political parties and stakeholder groups from the Darjeeling Hills unanimously resolved that the long-pending Gorkhaland issue should be addressed through formal tripartite talks involving the Government of India, the Government of West Bengal, and representatives of the Gorkha community.

The meeting, attended by a broad spectrum of political organizations from the Hills, was held to gather opinions and build a common platform regarding a permanent political solution to the Gorkha issue. According to GJM leaders, the initiative was undertaken following earlier discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had advised them to consult all stakeholders before moving forward with any constitutional settlement.

Addressing the gathering, Bimal Gurung revealed that he had intended to organize such an all-party consultation for nearly two years but had been unable to do so because the prevailing political environment was not conducive. He explained that during a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 12, 2024, the Home Minister had encouraged the GJM to consult political parties and stakeholders across the Hills, Terai and Dooars before arriving at a consensus on a constitutional solution.

Gurung stated that the current political climate in both New Delhi and Kolkata now appeared more favourable for meaningful dialogue. He stressed that unity among all political parties and organizations was essential if the aspiration for Gorkhaland was to move forward.

The GJM president emphasized that the movement should remain realistic while remaining committed to its core objective. According to him, political slogans and street agitations alone would not secure Gorkhaland. Instead, he argued that sustained dialogue, strategic negotiations and collective political unity would offer a more effective path towards achieving the long-standing aspiration of the Gorkha people.

He pointed out that both the Union Home Minister and the Governor of West Bengal had spoken about finding a lasting solution to the Gorkha issue. Gurung also observed that the present political environment provided an opportunity to pursue the demand tactfully while setting aside political differences in favour of a united movement.

One of the most significant developments during the meeting was the public disclosure by Bimal Gurung and GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri regarding their discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

According to their account, Gurung, Roshan Giri and Darjeeling MP Raju Bista had met Amit Shah on September 12, 2024. During that meeting, Shah reportedly stated that the creation of a separate Gorkhaland state was "not possible at present." Instead, he is said to have proposed a constitutional arrangement similar to the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), suggesting a Gorkhaland Territorial Region (GTR) as an alternative.

The GJM leaders further claimed that the Union Home Minister had advised them to build political consensus among all stakeholders in support of such a constitutional framework before any further decision could be taken.

Roshan Giri disclosed that during the same meeting, the GJM had submitted a memorandum demanding Scheduled Tribe status for the eleven Gorkha communities that continue to remain outside the Scheduled Tribe list. According to Giri, Amit Shah assured them that the inclusion of these eleven communities would form part of the overall political package linked to any future settlement. 

The eleven Gorkha communities awaiting Scheduled Tribe recognition are Rai, Gurung, Mangar, Newar, Bhujel, Sunwar, Thami, Yakha (Dewan), Jogi, Khas, and Dhimal.

Giri further informed the gathering that the GJM leadership did not commit itself to accepting the proposed autonomous arrangement during its meeting with the Home Minister. Instead, they conveyed that several political stakeholders were involved in the Gorkhaland movement and that any decision required wider consultation.

He also revealed that during another meeting with Amit Shah on February 12, 2026, the Union Home Minister reportedly informed them that a final decision would be taken after the Centre-appointed interlocutor submitted his report on the Darjeeling issue.

According to Giri, while interacting with the interlocutor, the GJM had clearly reiterated its demand for either full statehood for Gorkhaland or Union Territory status. Similar demands, he noted, had also been raised by several other political parties from the region.

The meeting witnessed participation from nearly all major political organizations of the Hills, including the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM), Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF), SUMETI Morcha, Gorkhaland Activist Samuha and other stakeholders.

Representing the BGPM, Alokkant Mani Thulung stated that the aspiration for Gorkhaland should rise above individual party affiliations. He argued that if a future democratic movement became necessary, it should be carried out under one common banner representing the collective aspirations of the Gorkha people rather than individual political parties.

Thulung also recalled that BGPM president Anit Thapa had resigned as Chairman of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), along with party members, to pave the way for the Gorkhaland movement. He further observed that changing political circumstances in West Bengal had resulted in several former BGPM leaders and elected representatives subsequently aligning themselves with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Gorkha National Liberation Front reaffirmed its long-standing position that the Permanent Political Solution promised by the BJP-led Central Government should ultimately lead to Gorkhaland. Party representatives stressed that initiating tripartite talks remained the most urgent priority and urged all political organizations to maintain unity while presenting their common demand before the Government.

The Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists cautioned against accepting any alternative political arrangements that might dilute the demand for statehood. The party recalled earlier experiences in which political movements for Gorkhaland had eventually settled for interim administrative structures instead of achieving the original objective. CPRM leaders therefore urged all parties to remain firmly committed to the demand for a separate state.

A major outcome of the meeting was the unanimous decision to establish a Coordination and Drafting Committee. The committee will prepare a comprehensive draft reflecting the views and suggestions of all participating organizations before submitting it to the Union Government later this month.

The committee is also expected to conduct additional rounds of consultations with political parties and stakeholders from the Hills, Terai and Dooars. Suggestions were placed that Members of Parliament, Members of the Rajya Sabha, and elected MLAs representing the region should also become part of the consultative process so that the demand could be presented before the Government with complete political consensus.

The meeting further emphasized that the proposed constitutional arrangement should include the 396 mouzas of the Terai and Dooars region, extending from the Sankosh River, while simultaneously ensuring Scheduled Tribe recognition for the eleven remaining Gorkha communities.

The Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF), led by Ajoy Edwards, strongly asserted that the Permanent Political Solution should be understood only as the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland. Speaking on behalf of the party, Central Executive Member N.B. Khawas stated that political parties should refrain from redefining the concept of a permanent political solution. According to the IGJF, the only acceptable interpretation remains a separate state, and negotiations with the Government should commence specifically on that issue.

IGJF representatives welcomed the all-party resolution calling for discussions on Gorkhaland and also insisted that the inclusion of the eleven excluded Gorkha communities in the Scheduled Tribe list should form an integral part of future negotiations.

The party additionally recommended that the newly constituted Drafting Committee should include representatives from every political party, Members of Parliament, Rajya Sabha members, two MLAs from the Terai and three MLAs from the Hills to ensure that every section of the region receives adequate representation.

The all-party meeting concluded with a unanimous message that despite political differences, all participating organizations remain committed to pursuing a peaceful, constitutional and united movement for Gorkhaland. Leaders agreed that only through collective political consensus, meaningful dialogue and formal tripartite negotiations can a permanent and honourable political solution to the decades-old Gorkha issue be achieved.