Jibon Singha, the self-styled chief of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), a proscribed terror outfit, has directed his ire at the Centre for not fulfilling their longstanding demand of the state of Kamtapur.

“The central government has not taken any initiative to meet our demand. If Punjabi people can get Punjab, and Gujaratis can get Gujarat, then why do we Kamtapuri (Rajbanshi) people not get our state? In 1949, when the princely state of Cooch Behar merged with India, it was supposed to be a new state. However, it eventually reduced to a district in Bengal,” said Singha in a video message on Saturday.

So far, Singha has been critical of Trinamul and chief minister Mamata Banerjee and appreciative of the BJP government at the Centre. "In recent times, this is the first time that he has criticised the Centre. It seems he is disillusioned with the central government,” said a political observer.

The KLO leader, who had reached Assam from Myanmar in January this year while responding to the Centre’s call for peace talks, is believed to be staying in Assam with some of his cadres.

In the video message, Singha claimed the Rajbanshis had constitutional and political rights to raise the demand. “The central government has been depriving us for years now. This is unfortunate,” he said.

Parthapratim Roy, a former MP and Trinamul spokesperson in Cooch Behar, accused Singha of being a “stooge of the BJP” and said the saffron party was trying to foment tension in the region.

“After Dhupguri bypoll results (which Trinamul won on Friday), BJP leaders have realised that people are rejecting them. That is why they are trying to play divisive politics again by engaging Jibon Singha. He is attempting to incite people here. Such plans won't work,” said Roy.

Dhupguri is a Rajbanshi-dominated Assembly constituency that the BJP won in 2021.

BJP leaders were brief in their reactions to Singha. “The Centre is aware of Singha's demands. We have nothing to say on it,” said a senior BJP functionary in Cooch Behar.