Mamata's visit rejuvenates the Hills, TMC to take part in GTA elections
Darjeeling: Mamata Banerjee's visit to the Hills has rejuvenated the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The party will be taking part in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) elections to be held after the publication of revised electoral rolls.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was on a four-day official visit to North Bengal that ended on Thursday. Though she did not hold any meetings with TMC party leaders, minister Aroop Biswas had held a meeting with the Hill TMC leaders in Kurseong.
"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that GTA elections will take place after the publication of revised electoral rolls. TMC will take part in the elections," stated NB Khawas, TMC, spokesperson, Darjeeling (Hills) and Kalimpong districts. He stated that in the meeting with Biswas, future plans were discussed on how to strengthen and expand TMC in the Hills.
"TMC is the only option in the Hills. Post Assembly elections, several people have joined our party. Mamata Banerjee, the party supremo, has given us a go-ahead to strengthen and expand," added Khawas.
Incidentally, in the last Assembly elections, the TMC had not contested in the Hills but had lent support to alliance parties in the Hills.
"Party chief Mamata Banerjee has asked us to work with the other Hill parties. We will do as per her instruction for all-round development and peace in the Hills," added LB Rai, chairman, TMC, Darjeeling (Hills) and Kalimpong.
He stated that a TMC team from the Hills will be visiting Kolkata after Diwali to meet Banerjee and other front rung leaders to chalk out future strategies.
In another development, 75 temporary staff of the Darjeeling Municipality have been regularised. An order to this effect arrived from Kolkata on Wednesday. The vacancies that have been filled up include 54 in the Conservancy department; 8 Lower Division Clerk and 13 Group D staff. Incidentally, the temporary staff union has been agitating for the regularisation of 299 members of the Municipality.
