Mamata says she is welcome in Darjeeling

With the GJM making a U-turn from its agitation for Gorkhaland and agreeing for dialogue, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said the party has welcomed her to Darjeeling.
"They have welcomed me to Darjeeling and sought an appointment for discussion with them," she told reporters here.
Earlier, in a conciliatory move by the hill party it was decided that its three MLAs -- Rohit Sharma, Harka Bahadur Chettri and Trilok Dewan -- would meet Banerjee in Darjeeling town on October 24.
Chettri had met Trinamool Congress All India General Secretary Mukul Roy here on October 19.
Banerjee said that she would leave for Darjeeling tomorrow on a five-day visit and preside over a meeting of the Gorkha Territorial Administration, the hill council, on October 25.

"I shall sit with the GTA on October 25," she said.

Banerjee would hold an administrative meeting at Siliguri tomorrow and on October 23 would hold a meeting with the Lepchas.
On October 24, she would attend the first Trinamool Congress party convention at the Mal in Darjeeling town, which would be followed by a meeting with the GTA. She would also attend a programme at Matigara on October 26.
The Trinamool Congress is steadily making its presence felt in the hills by opening over 50 units.
The GJM is on the backfoot under pressure after the state government's crackdown on its agitation and no response from Centre for a tripartite meeting which the GJM had claimed would be held on October 23.

Earlier, GJM sources had said that the arrest of 1300 partymen and 13 GTA members would be taken up at the meeting of the three party MLAs with the chief minister.