Didi to meet new parties of Darjeeling for Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, Panchayat polls

Kolkata: After the decimation of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in the hills of West Bengal, Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has set her eyes on creating a new political equation with two new political outfits, Hamro Party and Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha– which have ruled the recent Darjeeling Municipality polls– to corner the BJP in the region.

On Sunday Ms Banerjee informed that she would meet the hill-based parties during her North Bengal tour of five days. She also called for polls to establish a three-tier Panchayat system and a new GTA body in the hills.

The chief minister said at an event in Siliguri, "I will spend three days in the hills to discuss the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). We want the GTA polls to be held by May-June. Municipal polls were peaceful in the hills. We also want the Panchayat polls in the hills."

She added, "But there are three tiers on which the Centre has an enactment. We have urged the Centre to implement the law so that we can conduct the polls there. I need to talk to some political parties so that my brothers and sisters of the hills can also elect their representatives for peace in the region including Dooars and Terai."

Earlier this month, Hamro Party, launched by Ajoy Edwards– a former GNLF leader who is also owner of century-old famous Glenary's restaurant at hilltop– won 18 out of 32 wards of Darjeeling Municipality while Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, founded by ex-GJM leader Anit Thapa, bagged nine seats.