Bimal Gurung in Delhi

Siliguri: A threemember GJM team led by its president Bimal Gurung left for Delhi on Monday. In Delhi, the team would meet the President, Pranab Mukheree on Wednesday. Gurung is likely to brief Mukherjee about the political situation in the hills and how the state government has violated the GTA agreement. Before meeting Mukherjee, the GJM team consisting of the party general secretary Roshan Giri and party MLA Trilok Kumar Dewan would also meet the railway minister and home minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Sushil Kumar Shinde respectively. Gurung’s Delhi visit coming at a time when its relation with the state government has reached nadir carries political significance particularly before the ensuing panchayat election in the Dooars and prior to crucial 2014 general election. Today interacting with media persons at Bagdogra Airport, Gurung also indicated that the party would reconsider its decision to impose general strike in Darjeeling hills on March 14 and 15 and March 21 and 22.When asked whether theGJM would withdraw itsstrike call in case Mukherjeerequests him for the same,Gurung said, “We will considerin that case.”On the chief minister’s take that the Gorkhaland slogan cannot be raised in a government function, Gurung said, “The demand for separate state of Gorkhaland is more than 100 years old and we can raise it anywhere we wish.” The state government- GJM relation has already
reached nadir particularly after the state government decided to set up Lepcha DevelopmentCouncil against the GJM’s wish.The Delhi visit is alsoconstrued as the GJM’s
move to reach out to the Congressto seek the party’s helpin ensuring that the GTA
agreement is not violated.Today, Gurung also said that the demand for separatestate of Gorkhaland is before the centre and not before thestate government.