Siliguri, 20th February: Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, during the inauguration of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) new party office at Joymoni Bhawan in Hill Cart Road Siliguri, claimed that the BJP and its allies have a stronghold in the Hills. “As an MP, I am doing everything possible for the people of the Hills,” Bista said and mentioned that he often receives praises from the people for voicing out the demands and problems of the Hills in the Assembly. Bista accused the Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee of discriminating against the Gorkhas and the people of the Hills.
When asked regarding the statement and tweet made by senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy, Bista supported Swamy and stated that his tweet backs BJP’s manifesto including the promise of a permanent-political solution in the Hills.
On February 17, a team of Bimal-faction Gorkha Janamukti Morch (GJM) leaders, including Nari Morcha’s Urmila Rumba and senior leader Lopsang Lama, met Swamy and thanked him for their support to the long pending demand of the Gorkhas for a separate land. During the meet, Swamy asserted the delegates that he has made a promise to make ‘Gorkhaland’ a separate Union Territory. He expressed his gratitude towards the GJM leaders for giving the BJP three Lok Sabha seats. Later, Swamy tweeted regarding the meet.
Commenting on the upcoming West Bengal Assembly election, Bista stated, “Our party members’ hard work & dedication will do wonders in the upcoming elections and we will together emerge as the winning force. I thank each and every party karyakarta (workers) for their contribution in taking our BJP party to such great heights in West Bengal.”
Bista, addressing the media, also stated that GJM-2 President Binay Tamang cannot be taken seriously. He mocked Tamang of only functioning under the directive of Banerjee. Bista accused Tamang of raising the demand for Gorkhaland only during the elections. “If you are serious regarding Gorkhaland, then you should talk to Mamata Didi and pass the Bill for Gorkhaland in the State Legislative Assembly. Once the Bill reaches the Center, we will do the rest of the proceedings,” Bista confronted before closing up the press conference.