CM vouches for political solution; GJM vows to carry on agitation

Kolkata/Darjeeling, Jun 17 (UNI) Even as Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee-called all-party meet in Kolkata resolved to find a political solution to the Darjeeling imbroglio through dialogues sans any pre-condition, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)-sponsored all-party meet in Darjeeling vowed to continue with the agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

''All the parties have unanimously adopted a resolution that we will need to have patience and continue dialogues with the agitators to find out a political solution,'' Mr Bhattacharjee said after the meeting in Kolkata.

Ruling out any confrontation with the agitators, the Chief Minister said only political dialogues would help overcome the present problem. ''Neither do we want any confrontation nor do we put any condition to them (GJM) for talks. We believe we shall find out a solution to the problem through cooperation between the state and the Centre,'' he averred.

The meeting was attended by all the major political parties, except the Trinamool Congress, the SUCI and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF).

Pradesh Congress president and Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi also appealed to the agitators in the hills to withdraw their indefinite shutdown programme and come to the negotiation table. ''There shall be no confrontation, no hatred. I hope the leaders in the hills will respond to our appeal and come to the negotiation table,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the GJM-sponsored parallel all-party meeting in Darjeeling unanimously decided to continue with its agitation until their demand for Gorkhaland was conceded.

GJM president Bimal Gurung said the leaders of 13 parties, operating in the hills, had attended the meeting.

He said all the leaders had agreed that the statehood demand was a Constitutional right and urged the Centre to intervene immediately to end the impasse.

Among others attending the meeting were the GJM, Congress, GNLF(C), ABGL, Indian Union of Muslim League, CPRM, BJP, TMC, Sikkim National Front, Gorkha Rashtriya Congress, Gorkha Kishan and former CPI MLA Mohan Singh Rai, Mr Gurung informed.

He said the meeting also resolved to urge the Centre to convene a tripartite meeting in New Delhi soon, adding Darjeeling will be represented by all the party delegations in the tripartite meet.

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