Mamata hopeful about Darjeeling's future, will meet GJM leaders on 25 Oct

Siliguri/Kurseong: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that she was hopeful about the future of Darjeeling, where peace has returned after a series of bandhs crippled normal life in the recent past. “I want people in the Hills to be happy. I want them to be have jobs, adequate food and facilities to help them lead a happy life,” Banerjee told reporters after an administrative meeting in Siliguri today. “I love the Hills and its people just as I love the Plains and its people,” Banerjee, who will scheduled to visit Kurseong tomorrow for a meeting with the Lepchas, said, adding, that she would meet the GJM leadership. [caption id=“attachment_1187597” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mamata Banerjee is hopeful of the dialogue with GJM leaders. PTI. [/caption] “I have told GJM members who approached me that I will meet them on October 25 (Friday),” she said. Meanwhile, in keeping with its changed stance of dialogue on the Gorkhaland movement, the GJM would welcome the CM to Darjeeling, but it was not known whether its top leaders would meet her. “We will welcome the chief minister. Our MLAs, Gorkha Territorial Administration members will meet her as also other leaders,” GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri told reporters here today. Giri, who together with party chief Bimal Gurung, returned from Guwahati during the day, did not specify whether they would meet the CM. GTA deputy chief, Ramesh Allay, would lead the GJM delegation comprising legislators, GTA members and party leaders. Of the 45 GTA members 11 were in jail after arrest. It was decided earlier that the three GJM legislators, Rohit Sharma, Harka Bahadur Chettri and Trilok Dewan would meet Banerjee in Darjeeling town on October 24. The CM would attend the first Trinamool Congress party convention at the Mal in Darjeeling town, on October 24 (Thursday). On October 25, Banerjee would attend a meeting of the GTA and the next day she would also attend a programme at Matigara near Siliguri. PTI