Permanent political solution (PPS), an undefined term in the 2019 BJP’s Lok Sabha election manifesto that powered Darjeeling politics for the past five years, appears to have become unpalatable for BJP partner Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted in Siliguri that the BJP was “very close” to fulfilling the “longstanding” demand of the Gorkhas, Neeraj Zimba, the secretary-general of the GNLF and the Darjeeling MLA who won the election on a BJP ticket, told The Telegraph that the party wanted “a specific and unambiguous” definition in the BJP’s manifesto this time around.

“The term (PPS) created a lot of confusion among everyone. We want a specific and unambiguous term that will look to safeguard our people through a constitutional guarantee,” said Zimba.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP apart from promising tribal status to 11 hill communities had said it was “committed to work towards finding a permanent political solution” to the issue of Darjeeling hills, Siliguri, the Terai and the Dooars.

Most in the hills had interpreted PPS as Gorkhaland state although the BJP has never officially defined the term. The BJP and alliance leaders used definitions of the PPS to suit their narratives at particular moments. “Perhaps the GNLF is looking at coming up with a new narrative to face the election since the 2019 commitments have not yet been fulfilled,” said an observer.

Modi, at the public meeting in Siliguri on Saturday, had also said that the BJP was “very close to resolving” the longstanding Gorkha demand without specifics.

“Since 2009, the BJP has been juggling with words without making any specific commitment to address the political aspirations of the Gorkhas,” said an observer.

Zimba admitted that a lot of time had been wasted in trying to interpret the PPS. “Everyone spent a lot of time interpreting what PPS is, from journalists to leaders.”

The Darjeeling MLA added: “When the meeting for the (2019) manifesto was taking place at (BJP leader) Bhupendra Yadav’s house in Delhi, I came up with the term permanent political solution. In 1995, (GNLF founder) Subash Ghisingh used the term in an open letter to the government of India. The term was hence in my mind and this is how the suggestion came forth.”

Until now, the person who coined the PPS had never been disclosed.

The GNLF leader said other leaders present in the meeting that “went on till 3am” back then were GNLF president Mann Ghisingh, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri among others.

Giri, when contacted, said: “As far as I remember the term was already incorporated in the document drafted by Bhupendra Yadav.”

The decision by the GNLF to seek a change in nomenclature is significant as many in the hills have asserted that it was “time for delivery” and not assurances.

“I think the BJP is moving in the right direction and they are the best choice for us. We believe the BJP will definitely raise our issues (promised in the BJP manifesto) as they are of national importance, interest and a bit complicated too. The fact that the PM is sensitive to Gorkha issues is important,” said Zimba.