Darjeeling’s Political Shift: Gorkha Leaders Meet with Interlocutor

Darjeeling, January 25, 2026: In a significant move, Gorkha Political leaders met with the centre-appointed interlocutor, Pankaj Kumar Singh, in Darjeeling yesterday. A high-level discussion was held addressing the decades-long unrest in North Bengal and several other issues. The sources state that this was the first formal tripartite meeting in years.

In the meeting, Bimal Gurung, leader of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, and the general secretary Roshan Giri, reiterated their demand for Gorkhaland. Their major demand, as stated, is a separate state of Gorkhaland with full legislative authority. They sought a permanent political solution for the geopolitical complexities of the Darjeeling hills, including the Terai and Dooars regions.

Another major demand addressed in this meeting was the inclusion of the 11 Gorkha sub-tribes in the Scheduled Tribes. As stated by GJM, these demands were proposed to ensure the protection of their identity and constitutional rights.

The GJM, with other parties, made it clear that they won’t accept any agreement that falls short of legislative authority. The ruling Trinamool Congress party and BGMP chief Anit Thapa called it a pre-election stunt ahead of the 2026 Bengal election. The GJM and the BJP party, however, reject the accusations, stating that the meeting was to reiterate historical grievances. “I have requested the interlocutor to ensure a fair, transparent and equitable discussion, free from any political biases”, said Raju Bista, a BJP MP.

While the meeting ended without a final decision, the interlocutor will further present these demands to the Union Home Ministry.