Siliguri, April 7: The RSP decision to stay away from the citizens’ convention called by the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) on April 10 has embarrassed the CPM.

However, prompted by a letter from the Left Front convener of the district, Asok Bhattacharya, the junior partner has promised a rethink.

The decision to stay away was taken keeping in mind the “sensitive” nature of the convention and the possible rift it might create between the plains and the hills, RSP leaders said.

The SMC convention is being held to counter the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s agitation to make Siliguri a part of the Gorkhaland that it is demanding. All councillors of the SMC, including those from the RSP, had consented to take part in it.

“However, while reconsidering the issue, we found it sensitive and a wrong message may reach the people,” said Benoy Chakraborty, the Darjeeling district secretary of the RSP.

The district CPM insisted that the two RSP councillors had earlier consented to the convention. “The meeting has not been called by any political party but by the civic body. All political parties that have representatives in the corporation had agreed to it,” said Jibitesh Sarkar, a state committee member of the CPM. “We were surprised to hear of their stance but still hope that they will participate in the convention.”

Sarkar said the strike called by the Morcha in the Mirik-Soureni area yesterday to stop the minister from addressing a meeting amounted to instigation. “On one hand, the Morcha is alleging that the minister is creating a rift between the hills and the plains and that he would not be allowed to enter Darjeeling. On the other hand, they are organising rallies in favour of democracy in Siliguri. The two cannot go together.”

Binay Tamang, the press and publicity secretary of the Morcha, however, said the minister was free to travel as he pleased. “But what can we do if people are displeased with him because of his discriminatory comments?”