Gorkhaland-wary CPM to discuss statehood

The CPI-M politburo, already worried about rising demands for a new state in West Bengal, will meet this weekend to look into the Telengana issue, reports Jayanth Jacob.

The CPI-M politburo, already worried about rising demands for a new state in West Bengal, will meet this weekend to look into the Telengana issue.

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“We will be having a thorough discussion on the repercussions of the Centre’s decision to create a separate state of Telengana in other parts of the country,” CPM general secretary Prakash Karat told Hindustan Times.

The politburo is scheduled to meet on December 26-27.

A three-day meeting of the party central committee from January 29 will also dwell on the issue.

Emboldened by the Centre’s decision to create a new Telengana state, the demand for Gorkhaland has gathered momentum in West Bengal.

The CPM, which in principal is opposed to creation of more states, is worried that the issue will add to its woes at a time when the party striving hard to revive its fortunes in West Bengal after its worst ever Lok Sabha performance in the state since 1977.

“We are for a united Andhra Pradesh and we have made our stand known on many occasions. And now we have to seriously think about the repercussions the Telengana statehood on similar demands such as Gorkhaland,” Karat said. “We don’t think that a separate state can solve the issue of Gorkhaland.”