Darjeeling: The long-debated demand for a “permanent political solution” to the Darjeeling hills issue returned to the forefront ahead of the Bengal Assembly elections on Friday, with BJP reiterating the promise in its manifesto.First highlighted in the party’s 2019 Lok Sabha manifesto, the term has remained undefined but politically significant in the Hills for over six years. Its renewed mention now appears to have found acceptance among key allies — Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).Unveiling the party’s ‘Sankalp Patra’, Union home minister Amit Shah described it as a roadmap for building a “Sonar Bangla.”“We will bring a permanent political solution for the Hills that respects local aspirations and operates within the constitutional framework,” the manifesto states.GNLF central committee spokesperson Y Lama said there were already indications of movement, noting that the Centre had earlier appointed an interlocutor to examine issues concerning Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai. Interlocutor Pankaj Kumar Singh visited Darjeeling in Jan to advance tripartite talks involving representatives from the Hills, Terai, and Dooars.Repeated attempts to contact GJM chief Bimal Gurung for comment were unsuccessful.
