Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung will write to chief minister Mamata Banerjee for a permanent political solution of Darjeeling hills, the Terai and the Dooars, as suggested by her party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the hill leader said.

Gurung, who toured Calcutta with some of his associates and met a number of state ministers as well as Abhishek during the past few days, returned here on Tuesday.

The Morcha chief told newspersons at New Jalpaiguri Junction that his visit to Calcutta was “effective”.

“We met Abhishek Banerjee to discuss various issues pertaining to the hills, the Terai and the Dooars regions. He suggested I send a letter to the chief minister with our proposals for a permanent political solution. We will send the letter soon,” Gurung said.

Last month, Mamata, while attending an administrative review meeting in Kurseong, had said that her government will work on a permanent political solution for the hills. She had also asked representatives of the hill parties to come up with suggestions on it.

Gurung’s decision to send a letter comes at a time the BJP camp and its allies in the hills have started pushing the issue of Gorkhaland again, pointed out political observers.

“The Centre held a tripartite meeting in October and plans to hold more rounds of talks. The BJP MP of Darjeeling raised the issue in Parliament and the BJP MLA of Kurseong wrote to the party’s national president J.P. Nadda on it. It seems Bimal Gurung and his party colleagues, who are allies of Trinamul, also want to prove to the hill residents that they are working on the issue too,” said a hill observer.

Gurung, who had left for Calcutta on November 23, on Tuesday said he held talks with state ministers on a number of issues ranging from reopening closed tea estates to bettering agriculture and floriculture practices in the hills and jobs for hill youths.

“The state government is carrying out development work across the state, including the hills. The chief minister is fast emerging as a national leader because of her progressive vision and performance. At the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, we will extend complete support to her,” the Morcha leader said.