With the Lok Sabha elections on the horizon, the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) has renewed its efforts to seek a political resolution to the longstanding issues in Darjeeling. GNLF President Man Ghisingh is reportedly set to travel to Delhi for meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP All India President JP Nadda.
The agenda of these discussions will include pressing for a permanent political solution to address the challenges faced by the people in the Ghisingh mountain region and advocating for Scheduled Caste status for 11 tribes.
In the previous Lok Sabha elections, political parties in the hills had campaigned with these two key demands. The BJP, as part of its electoral promises, committed to fulfilling these demands; however, even after five years, the aspirations of the mountain communities remain unmet. With the GNLF, an ally in the NDA alliance, taking the lead in reiterating these demands, it signals a renewed urgency to address the mountain problem and deliver on the assurances made during the election campaigns.