Darjeeling: In the backdrop of strong protests by the Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee against his appointment, the visit of Centre-appointed interlocutor Pankaj Kumar Singh’s maiden visit to Darjeeling on Saturday triggered mixed response from Hills parties.Trinamool ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) chief Anit Thapa dismissed it as an “election gimmick”, but BJP MP Raju Bista welcomed the move as a step towards dialogue. Singh has been handpicked by the Centre to advance the tripartite talks involving the people of the Darjeeling Hills, Terai and Dooars, the Centre and the Bengal govt.
Incidentally, this is not the first time that the Centre has made such a move. In 2009, the Congress-led UPA government appointed retired Lieutenant General Vijay Madan to facilitate talks between the Centre, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), and the Bengal govt. Madan resigned from his post in 2011 ahead of the Bengal assembly polls after the efforts produced little progress towards a permanent solution.CM Banerjee had written two letters to PM Narendra Modi, in Oct and Nov 2025, protesting against Singh’s appointment. In these letters, the CM had urged PM Modi to “re-consider and revoke” Singh’s appointment. Welcoming Singh on behalf of people of the region, Bista said, ” The visit is a fresh opportunity… it could help bring all stakeholders together to address the long-standing aspirations of the people.” Thapa, however, took a sharply different stance, ruling out any meeting with the interlocutor even if invited. “Sending an interlocutor close to polls is an attempt to fool the people, and we will not be fooled,” he added.Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung welcomed the interlocutor. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said their primary demand remained a separate state of Gorkhaland.
