BJP legislator from Kurseong B.P. Bajgain has written to his national party president J.P. Nadda demanding the Gorkhaland state and has expressed hope that the tripartite meeting called by the Centre “will be instrumental in achieving a system outside WB (West Bengal) government clutches”.

“The long pending demand of Gorkhas means separation in any form of our land from the state of West Bengal in appropriate political manner, taking into context the concerned historical and majoritarian political landscape,” Bajgain wrote.

The Kurseong MLA reminded Nadda that Darjeeling voted for three BJP MPs and supported the saffron party because of its promise in its election manifesto.

The BJP promised a “permanent political solution” in its 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto but not yet defined it.

Even though there was not much headway on the permanent political solution issue since 2019, the Centre did call a tripartite meeting on October 12 to resolve “Gorkha issues.” Bajgain was one of the leaders invited to the meeting.

The MLA said he welcomed the “party’s” decision to initiate talks. “I am of the belief that the upcoming editions of talks that started on October 12 will be instrumental in achieving a system outside WB government clutches. This is also the one and only significance behind writing you this letter,” he wrote.

Observers believe that Bajgain’s assertion is a significant reminder to the saffron party that patience is running thin even among its own leaders from the region.

Although the BJP gave the impression that it is sympathetic to the demands of the Gorkhas, many believe that things are not easy for the party given its interest in the rest of Bengal, which is opposed to Gorkhaland.

Asked for the reason for the letter, the Kurseong MLA said he was aiming for clarity.

“I wanted to thank him for the talks. In the talks, the state will also be there, there could be attempts to dilly dally, derail talks but I wanted to be clear on our issue and request him that their focus should be on this issue,” Bajgain told The Telegraph on Monday.

On the state BJP leadership’s opposition to the Gorkhaland issue, Bajgain said it was not his concern. “If we are to think of state BJP how are we to work in the hills. We are not bothered... Let us see how they (central leadership) respond (to this letter),” said Bajgain.

Recently, BJP MP from Alipurduar John Barla had also raised the issue of a state of north Bengal.

In his letter to Nadda, Bajgain, too, raised the issue of other communities living in north Bengal.

“…other ethnic tribes of north Bengal like Rajbanshi, Koch, Toto, Rava, Meche, Adiviasis and others have suffered at the hands of the state’s internal colonial approach. It is of utmost importance that along with Gorkhas, these aforesaid ethnic tribes should also gain a political lift,” Bajgain wrote.

The other issues raised by Kurseong MLA are construction of AIIMS in north Bengal, setting up an exclusive Nepali language TV and raising tea garden workers wages.

“Doing our addresses in the last election, we promised tea labourers that daily wages will be raised to Rs 350,” he wrote.