The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) held an executive Sabha meeting on Thursday, a day after BJP Darjeeling MP Raju Bista attended a review meeting of the GTA and the district administration in which elected members of the hill body were not invited.
Anit Thapa, the chief executive of the GTA, put up a brave face on Bista’s Wednesday initiative, which betrayed the Darjeeling MP’s underlying message of taking control of the hill body.
“The meeting has made clear the financial health of the GTA. The liability of the GTA has reached ₹400 crore and even the MP Sahib has now realised the same and he is part of the ruling party,” said Thapa after the meeting that was held at Lal Khoti, the GTA headquarters.
Bista had highlighted that the GTA had not received support from the previous state government, both in terms of the hill body’s autonomy and financial support.
Thapa on Thursday expressed hope that the hill body would receive more support from the new state government now, as “the MP himself has taken an initiative”, in a clear signal that the GTA head did not want any confrontation with the BJP-led government.
Bista, on his decision to bypass Thapa or elected representatives of the GTA, had said: “I did not think it was necessary to call the GTA chairman (chief executive Thapa) to this meeting. Also, I do not want to sit for a meeting with him.”
Asked for a response to Bista’s statement, Thapa on Thursday was diplomatic. "In politics, there are compulsions at times,” Thapa said.
Thapa repeatedly stressed that he viewed Bista’s decision to hold a review meeting as “positive.”
“I once again say that I take the meeting positively. The meeting was held for the betterment of the Darjeeling hills. We also want the hills to do better. The MP is now a high-profile person. We take all these developments positively,” Thapa said.
Thapa had allied with the Trinamool Congress right up to the Assembly polls. Following the change of guard in Bengal, many are unsure how the GTA will function.
An observer said that Thapa's stance had been conciliatory. "He has been repeatedly stating that he wants to work with the state government. Only time will tell how the state government and the BJP leadership will react to him,” the observer said.