Bengal & Centre relationship to get complicated over Gorkhaland

ET

SILIGURI : Already stern relationship between center and West Bengal state is likely to have one more knot over Gorkhaland issue. While center has reportedly started initiating a tri partite meet with state and Gorkhland activists group Gorkha Janamukti Morcha(GJM), state is in dead against that. Following long demand after it has started losing its friendship with state Government, GJM is visibly cheered up with call from center for the tri partite meet. "I am happy to get a call from the Central Government for Tripartite talks on the long pending demands of The Gorkhas. The talks are scheduled on October 23rd. The GJM believes that our demand can be solved with dialogue," said GJM President Mr. Bimal Gurung. Apparently a positive move indeed for Darjeeling that had been boiling over high degree political warmth since last couple of months as the latest episode of the years old movement on demand of separate Gorkhaland statehood for Darjeeling hills. 

Trinamool Congress, the ruling party in West Bengal, had cozy friendship with GJM that yielded many electoral benefits for both during last three years. TMC persuaded with center for development for separate administrative body Gokhaland Territorial Administration(GTA) for Darjeeling which as obvious came under ruling of GJM. The state had also sanctioned financial grants and benefits for the body too. But gradually a crack developed between the two friends over the handing over of departments and thus power to GTA. Following that, GJM went on indefinite strike freezing the hills for more than 1 month making the crack deeper. The sate never liked GJM's persuasion with center for a tri partite meet. 

Naturally, "State cannot digest this initiative of center," said Political observers. When asked, North Bengal development minister Mr. Goutam Deb just said, "This is an important issue and the CM is looking after this. We want restoration of peace in hills." "The state is getting in touch with center to confirm the matter. But, even if founds to be correct, state's accepting this is not something likely though that will have enough potential to further complicate west Bengal state and center relation," said a top administrative official.