Centre to hold talks with GJM on statehood

The government has decided to hold talks at political level with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which has been agitating for a separate state out of West Bengal.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) took the decision after the Home Ministry briefed it about the stalemate on the tripartite talks between the Union, the West Bengal government and the GJM, since December last year.

"The talks will be political. A decision in this regard has been taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs," a Home Ministry official said.

During the last meeting on the issue at Darjeeling on December 21 last year, the GJM had indicated that it would like the next round of talks to be held at political level within 45 days and Union Home Secretary G K Pillai, who had represented the Union Government, had assured that he would get back to the GJM.