Hills gear up to welcome Mamata Banerjee

Siliguri: There is a lot of expectation surrounding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to the Hills on Tuesday. The chief minister will be holding an administrative meeting of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts at the Kurseong Town Hall on the day.

With Hill political parties vying with each other for political space, the CM's positive gestures could tilt the scales for a particular party. Anit Thapa, President of Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) seems to be ahead in the fray. He was invited to the Bijoya Sammelani programme in SIliguri and shared stage with Mamata Banerjee on Sunday. The chief minister also introduced Thapa as "Amader Bondhu" (our friend) during the programme. Thapa was seen in Kurseong town on Monday supervising the putting up of party flags and flexes to welcome Chief Minister Banerjee to his home turf. Though he remained tightlipped on whether he would hold a meeting with Banerjee in Kurseong, sources claim that he could be meeting the chief minister after the administrative meeting.

Political parties are anticipating the holding of elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and two tier Panchayat in the Hills.

"As the assembly elections are over and the Hills are peaceful, it is conducive to hold GTA and Panchayat elections," remarked Thapa.

Meanwhile, Bimal Gurung, President, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, stated that if GTA elections are held they will not take part in the fray. He stated that he will later meet the Chief Minister in Kolkata. The TMC is also gearing up to welcome Mamata Banerjee to the Hills. Party flags and welcome gates have been put up. "She could be making very important announcements from Kurseong relating to the Hills," stated LB Rai, Chairman, TMC, Darjeeling and Kalimpong district.