Union minister Anurag Thakur on Monday took the task to placate the grievances of the Gorkha population of north Bengal and buttressed that the BJP is working on the issue of permanent political solution, a longstanding demand of the community.

“BJP is committed to the demand of the Gorkha community and the hills. Discussions have been held at different levels to resolve the issue. If anyone can find a solution (of the demand), it is only Narendra Modi,” said the information and broadcasting minister at an interaction hosted by the BJP with the business community on the outskirts of Siliguri.

The minister’s assertion comes a day after the saffron party published its election manifesto. In the manifesto, there is no mention of the permanent political solution of the hills and also the demand to confer scheduled tribe status to the 11 hill communities.

Since 2009, the party had been winning the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat with the support of the Gorkha population and had explicitly mentioned the issue in its manifesto.

“Unlike 2009 and 2014, there is no mention of the issue in the manifesto this time. The silence of the BJP has left the hill residents disgruntled. The BJP is acquainted that it needs support of the Gorkhas to win the seat and thus, Anurag Thakur made an attempt to control the damage,” said a veteran of hill politics.

In north Bengal and in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat which the BJP has won thrice since 2009, the saffron camp has been highlighting infrastructural development carried out by the Narendra Modi government over the past 10 years. Among these include, new highways, widening and improvement of existing highways, development of Bagdogra airport and air connectivity, introduction of new trains and augmentation of infrastructure in railway stations like New Jalpaiguri.

“Infrastructural projects worth thousands of crores have been taken up at various locations of the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat. The four-laning of Balason Bridge and Sevoke Military station stretch in the northern parts of Siliguri worth Rs 1,000 crore has been taken up,” said the Union minister for sports and youth affairs.

“Out of the 41 Vande Bharat Express trains, running across the country, three originates from New Jalpaiguri. These initiatives have largely boosted connectivity in the region and the local MP Raju Bista has done a lot during his tenure,” he added.

Later in the day, Thakur campaigned for Bista fielded by the party for the second time in the Darjeeling seat.