GTA chief dares Raju Bista to include Gorkhaland in BJP poll manifesto
Darjeeling: Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chief Anit Thapa on Wednesday dared Member of Parliament, Darjeeling, Raju Bista to clearly state that Gorkhaland will be carved out of West Bengal, in the BJP’s election manifesto in the forthcoming Bengal Assembly elections. “Then I will follow Bista without any question and will meet anyone he wants me to meet, including the interlocutor,” stated Thapa.
This was in reaction to Bista’s previous comments. Incidentally, Thapa had labelled the interlocutor’s visit to Darjeeling as an ‘election stunt’ orchestrated on behest of the BJP so that the saffron brigade could reap rich dividends from his visit. Thapa had further stated that he did not want to fall into BJP’s trap hence he would not meet the interlocutor.
On January 26, addressing a BJP workers’ meet in Kurseong, Raju Bista, the Darjeeling MP who is also BJP’s national spokesperson, stated: “Anit Thapa’s statement is considered Bengal’s statement. I urge him to meet the interlocutor and tell the interlocutor that he wants Gorkhaland. If he gives this statement then even Mamata Banerjee will not oppose it. Do this instead of staying away and issuingtatements to the media only.”
The MP further stated that it would be good if the GTA and the West Bengal government meet the interlocutor. “The political solution for the Hills, Terai and Dooars has to be inclusive. For this all the stakeholders will have to meet the interlocutor and give their suggestions regarding a permanent political solution” added Bista.
Reacting to this Thapa remarked: “The Hills had given the BJP and Bista a repeated mandate for Gorkhaland. Does the interlocutor yield more authority than an elected MP? Why has the Centre failed to heed Bista’s voice?” questioned Thapa, who is also the president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM,) the party in power in the Darjeeling Hills. “Interlocutors are appointed when there is a deadlock and the ice needs to be broken. When there is no such situation here and there is peace, why has the BJP led union government suddenly appointed an interlocutor and sent him to Darjeeling with Assembly elections around the corner?” questioned Thapa.
Pankaj Kumar Singh, former director general of the Border Security Force and Deputy National Security Advisor, was named as the Interlocutor for the Gorkha impasse in October 2025 by the Union Home Ministry.
His appointment was challenged by CM Mamata Banerjee in two letters to the PM, demanding that the appointment be cancelled as it was not in consultation with the Government of West Bengal. Labelling it a unilateral decision, Banerjee stated that such a move diluted federal polity.
