 |
| Mamata Banerjee |
Addressing an election meeting in favour of party’s Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat nominee Bhaichung Bhutia, Ms Banerjee, without naming any party or leader, said ‘Instead of serving people of the Hills they run often to New Delhi in an attempt to divide the state between the Hills and plains.’
Rejecting the division of West Bengal, Ms Banerjee said her government has been giving priority to development of the Hills and for this the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was enacted two years ago.
She also criticised the so called Gorkha leaders questioning their patriotism. ‘How did these leaders not find a local or Gorkha leader for Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat? Instead they are hiring a politician from Delhi with sinister design to divide the state in the name of hill people and plains.’
Her reference was obviously to BJP leader SS Ahluwalia contesting from the seat with support from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).
‘We have chosen a man of West Bengal, who also hails from the hills,’ she said raising Bhutia’s hands.
‘I have been coming to the hills for the past three years with various development projects. But this time I am asking your vote on the symbol of twin flowers,’ Ms Banerjee told the crowd.
She also listed a series of projects for development of Darjeeling, including Rs 455 crore for drinking water scheme
Source:24dunia
