Thaindian News

Kolkata/Darjeeling, Feb 15 (IANS) The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) will hold a demonstration in Kolkata Feb 19 to press its demand for carving a separate Gorkhaland out of West Bengal, said senior party leader Tuesday.”We will strengthen our GJM unit in Kolkata to intensify our movement. We are expecting participation from the civil society and some political parties to press our demand,” said GJM secretary Roshan Giri.

“We will carry out a sit-in Feb 19 in front of the Victoria House in the central part of the city. Our central committee leaders will remain present on the dais,” Giri said.

“Except for the Left Front parties, we want all of the political parties in the state to participate in the demonstration. We are yet to get any response from the parties. But from the discussion which we had with several leaders of the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, it seems that they are sympathetic to our movement,” said Giri.

A senior GJM leader said Giri was busy throughout the day in meeting with senior leaders of the Trinamool Congress and the Congress, inviting them to join the demonstration.

Meanwhile, six members of an Election Commission team reached Siliguri in the afternoon and held meetings with representatives of political parties and district officials.

Later in the evening, the observers split into two teams and started for Kalimpong and Kurseong sub-divisions of Darjeeling Hills.

“The observers will visit several areas in the district to assess the law and order situation Wednesday,” said Darjeeling Police Superintendent D.P. Singh.