Siliguri: The Gorkha National Liberation Front said on Sunday
that the party would consult with constitutional experts to explore new
avenues for a better administrative arrangement in the hills and a
proposal would be put before the Bengal government.
The decision
has been attributed to the GNLF's attempt to cement its base as the
party thinks a section of hill people is unhappy with the rebel faction
of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha heading the Gorkhaland Territorial
Administration now.
Mahendra Chhetri, the general secretary of
the GNLF, said the central committee of the party had met in Kalimpong
on Sunday and decided to explore new options for the hills'
administration.
"The present state of affairs
in the hills suggests a separate state cannot be formed immediately. We
will continue to raise the demand for Gorkhaland but simultaneously, we
want a better administrative arrangement to be put in place in the
hills. So, we have decided to consult with legal and constitutional
experts to explore new options in the hills. Our plan is to mention the
new proposal at the next round of bipartite talks between the hill
parties and the state government (at Pintail village) in Siliguri on
November 21," said Chhetri.
The GNLF's plan to explore new administrative options is because of
the perceived reservations among a section of people about the recent
formation of the board of administrators to run the GTA. The state
government had appointed rebel Morcha leaders Binay Tamang and Anit
Thapa as the chairman and the vice-chairman of the BoA of the GTA,
respectively.
Since the statehood agitation had resumed in June, the GNLF has been consistently regaining its ground.
The Telegraph
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