West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday promised a permanent political solution for Darjeeling hills while it remains part of the state, even as she urged leaders in the hills to prepare a road map for the same by December.
“Some political parties come to Darjeeling ahead of the elections and promise statehood. Their actual motto is to divide the people of the hills. You give me a plan on how to come to a permanent solution. I would help you even while Darjeeling remains a part of West Bengal.”
Banerjee, who is on a four-day tour of north Bengal since October 24, held an administrative meeting in Kurseong.
She asked Anit Thapa, former Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader who recently floated a new outfit; Roshan Giri, secretary of the GJM; and Gautam Deb, senior TMC leader and former minister, to come up with a plan by the first week of December. Officials and representatives from the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) — an autonomous body that manages Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills in north Bengal — have also been asked to join the meeting.