GJM leadership breaks silence, will meet Mamata for 'peace' in the hills

The leaders of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha have finally issued an official statement saying party president Binoy Tamang and general secretary Anit Thapa will call on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to discuss the current political situation in the Darjeeling Hills.

Kolkata (West Bengal): The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leadership finally broke its silence on Sunday and issued an official communication saying party's president Binoy Tamang and general secretary Anit Thapa will call on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to discuss the current political situation in the Darjeeling Hills.

The political situation in the West Bengal hill district took a new turn after ex-GJM president Bimal Gurung resurfaced in Kolkata on October 21.

"Our party leadership was invited a week back for talks and how peace and tranquillity can be maintained in the hills as well as to discuss the current political situation of North Bengal," GJM spokesperson Keshav Raj Pokhrel said on Sunday while issuing a press communique.

He said that Tamang and Thapa would attend the talks which will be hosted by Banerjee at the state secretariat Nabanno on November 3.

"The meeting will take place at Nabanna at 3 p.m. on November 3, 2020.

The expected departure of Tamang and Thapa for Kolkata will be on November 2," Pokhrel said.

Gurung, who had been absconding since 2017 after he was charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with a grenade attack at Kalimpong police station, had announced that his party would snap all ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre and support the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in 2021 state assembly elections.

IANS REPORT