Darjeeling, June 30 (IBNS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said she was very happy with the decision of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) to participate in the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) polls.
"Today is a very happy day for all of us, as my brothers and sisters of Darjeeling have decided to participate in the democratic process of election next month. Truly Darjeeling is now smiling," she said in a Facebook post.
"Peace, development and prosperity will bring new era in Darjeeling. On this happy occasion I congratulate all my brothers and sisters of Darjeeling," she said.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) Saturday announced to fight the GTA polls in Darjeeling which they had threatened to boycott earlier over the Justice Sen committee recommendations on territorial inclusion.
The decision to contest the polls was communicated by GJM leaders on Saturday after the meeting of their core committee.
GJM will contest all the 45 seats and go alone in the polls, said Harka Bahadur Chhetri, a senior GJM leader.
Earlier on June 16, a new three-member fact verification committee to scrutinize the findings of the Justice Shymal Sen committee report on inclusion of new areas from the Terai and Dooars in the GTA was announced after the GJM leaders met Mamata Banerjee to protest against the panel's recommendations granting them only five mouzas under the GTA against the demand for 396.
The GJM had announced a series of agitations, including resignations of their MLAs, to protest the report of the Justice Sen panel.
The Mamata Banerjee government assured to the GTA that more areas from the Terai, Dooars and plains would be added to the existing GTA.
Darjeeling, the queen of Hills, witnessed some fresh turmoil with the GJM rejecting rejecting outright the recommendations of the committee headed by the retired judge that allocated only five mouzas to the GTA.
The GTA was formed in July last year replacing the previous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGCH).
GJM had threatened to burn the copies of the GTA agreement signed on July 18, 2011, but later cancelled their agitation.
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