Mamata Banerjee woos Darjeeling with promises

SILIGURI: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is in Darjeeling once again, trying to woo the state's northernmost constituencies ahead of the Panchayat polls that are now imminent. She held a meeting with leaders of the rather disgruntled Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) on Tuesday evening, and reeled off the usual set of promises at a public meeting on Wednesday. "Darjeeling is the heart of West Bengal and its development carries the very highest priority" she announced. If her audience was a bit surprised that the heart was located so high up north, she chose to drive home the point that she really cared by stating that the state will sanction 100 crore for a water treatment project in Darjeeling. She said that the state will also facilitate development of hydropower projects in Rammam, Rangit and Teesta and also the 344 crore water project for Kalimpong. 

The state coffers are empty, but that did not prove to be a constraint for Mamata who told the gathering that the state will persuade the Centre for a smooth flow of central funds to the Gorkha Territorial Administration. Political observers think Mamata is now seriously trying to go into damage control mode before the crucial May 24 tripartite meeting in the hills to resolve existing problems. The GJM has demanded immediate handing over of critical departments from state control to the GTA. Some 35 such have already been effected, but 24 still need to be transferred. The GJM has also demanded extra financial support from the state. Politically, some remarks made by Mamata during her January 2013 visit to Darjeeling had rubbed GJM the wrong way and the morcha had immediately launched into an agitational overdrive. The morcha has always wanted absolute power in the foothills of Darjeeling and that is a grouse too.