In a late-night drama on Monday, the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) suddenly discovered that it was a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Throughout Monday, the GNLF had claimed that it had not joined the NDA to justify the purported absence of an invitation to attend the alliance meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.

GNLF secretary general Neeraj Zimba had told The Telegraph on Monday evening that his party was not part of the NDA. “We are not part of the NDA. In 2019, we were offered to be part of the NDA by Kailash Vijayvargiya (former Bengal BJP minder) but we did not accept it,” said Zimba, who was elected to the Assembly from Darjeeling on a BJP ticket.

Around 11pm on Monday, Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista posted on social media a letter written by BJP president J.P. Nadda to GNLF president Mann Ghisingh inviting him to the NDA meeting on Tuesday. “I hope my letter finds you well. Your party Gorkha National Liberation Front is an important constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA),” Nadda’s invitation letter reads.

When this newspaper contacted Zimba around 11.15pm on Monday to know whether the GNLF was really a constituent of NDA, the leader was not so clear. “I can also confirm that an invitation letter has been sent to our party president. He will be going to Delhi tomorrow to attend the meeting,” said Zimba.

Asked repeatedly if the GNLF was a constituent of the NDA, Zimba said: “Maybe by default now... our president is going to attend the meeting tomorrow (Tuesday).”

Of five hill parties which back the BJP, only the GNLF was invited to the NDA meeting.