Darjeeling, 22 August (H.S.): A crucial meeting on finding a permanent political solution to the long-standing issues concerning the hill areas of West Bengal, including Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, began near Siliguri on Saturday under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The meeting is being held at a resort in Sukna near Siliguri and is attended by representatives of the Centre and the state government as well as leaders of major political parties from the hills.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista and MLAs representing the three hill Assembly constituencies — Noman Rai from Darjeeling, Bharat Kumar Chhetri from Kalimpong and Sonam Lama from Kurseong — are attending the meeting.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung and general secretary Roshan Giri are also present. Man Ghising, incumbent president of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and son of the organisation's late founder Subhash Ghising, is also participating.

The key focus of the meeting is expected to be finding a permanent political solution for the hill region. Darjeeling and adjoining hill areas have witnessed prolonged political movements and periods of tension over the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state. Successive Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments had also held several rounds of talks and witnessed political confrontations with hill-based parties over the issue.

During the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the GJM supported the BJP. Subsequently, BJP-backed candidates won all six Assembly seats in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. With a BJP-led government now in power in the state, the GJM leadership is hopeful that the presence of governments led by the same alliance at the Centre and in the state could help create a pathway towards resolving the long-pending political issues of the hills.

Last month, Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri met Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in Kolkata. Transport Minister Arjun Singh was also present during the meeting, which was held at a temporary camp set up at the Public Works Department ground. After discussions lasting around one-and-a-half hours, Gurung had expressed hope that the political issues of the hills could be resolved through dialogue with the Centre and the state government.

Apart from the Gorkhaland issue, Saturday's meeting is also expected to discuss teacher recruitment in the hill areas, the condition of tea gardens, transport facilities and matters related to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

The meeting chaired by Amit Shah is therefore being viewed as a significant development in the political affairs of the Darjeeling hills and could have important implications for the region's long-standing political demands.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey