Elections to GTA in 2 to 3 months, says Mamata Banerjee

Following 100-day shutdown and violent agitation in hills from June to September 2017, the GTA has been lying defunct

 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) would be conducted in next two three months. Ms. Banerjee, who is visiting north Bengal, met representatives of all the hill parties. She said that almost all parties have agreed for holding polls. “They said they will fully cooperate with us,” she stated.

 GTA, a regional autonomous body, was formed as a result of a tripartite agreement between the Centre, the State and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in 2011. Following the 100-day shutdown and violent agitation in the hills from June to September 2017, the GTA has been lying defunct, with the State government appointing administrators. It is expected that elections to the GTA would bring political stability with the election of public representatives.

The recent civic polls saw a new force emerge in the hills, as the Hamro Party won the Darjeeling Municipality. 

The Chief Minister said she was in favour of a three-tier panchayat in the hills and had been writing to the Centre on this issue. She expressed happiness that the hills were ”peaceful’ and witnessing a surge of tourists. 

The Darjeeling hills has been a politically sensitive and volatile region and seen regular violent outbreaks over the demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland.