Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu will visit Darjeeling on October 22.

“A programme has been scheduled at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute the same day. The Vice-President will leave Darjeeling the following day,” said a senior district official.

HMI officials couldn’t be contacted to know which programme Naidu would attend.

Initially, there were plans that Naidu would hold talks with Tea Board of India officials but the same has not been finalised. “In all probability, the Tea Board meeting will not take place,” said a source.

Naidu will arrive in Sikkim on October 20. Sources said he would inaugurate the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Stadium at Namchi in South Sikkim.

Namchi is from where the legendary footballer started his successful soccer journey. The place is 20km from Bhutia’s birthplace of Tinkitam.

The Vice-President’s visit has become public close on the heels of a meeting the Centre convened in New Delhi on Tuesday with Gorkha stakeholders.

It wasn’t, however, clear if any political leaders from the hills would meet Naidu in Darjeeling. “We are yet to receive the final minute-to-minute itinerary from the Vice-President secretariat,” said an official.

Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar reached Darjeeling on Tuesday for a two-week stay in the region.