Darjeeling MLA Neeraj Zimba has sent a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, seeking a tripartite meeting to discuss the “permanent political solution” for the Darjeeling hills.

Zimba is from the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) but won the 2021 polls on a BJP ticket.

The MLA told Shah that although Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista had said several times that the home ministry would convene tripartite talks in January, the meeting hadn’t been called yet.

The tripartite meeting involves the central and state governments and stakeholders of the Indian Gorkha community to address the long-pending political issue.

“The delay and apparent reluctance to uphold the commitment not only undermine the faith of the Indian Gorkhas in the democratic process but also cast an unfortunate shadow on the BJP-led central government’s sincerity in resolving this issue within the constitutional framework of our great Republic,” Zimba has said in
his letter.

While pointing out that the delay had created an “uneasy and unconducive atmosphere” among the people of the hills, the MLA said since 2009, the BJP had been winning the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat on the promise of the “permanent
political solution”.

This is the second time in recent times that the GNLF, the party founded by Subash Ghisingh who is still considered the tallest political leader in the hills, has expressed its dissatisfaction with the BJP-ruled government at
the Centre.

On January 26, Zimba questioned the sincerity of the BJP towards the Gorkhas after a demand flagged by the GNLF for a Padma award for Ghisingh went unheard.

Political veterans in the hills feel the letter hints at a desperate attempt by the MLA and his party to drive home the point that despite being with the BJP, they are exerting pressure on the issue.