BJP's Bengal victory revives Gorkha hopes for 'permanent political solution' within Constitution

New Delhi: Following the BJP’s thumping victory in West Bengal, the Gorkha community has renewed its hopes for a “permanent political solution” within the constitutional framework to address its long-standing demand for Gorkhaland.

It was this very issue that helped the BJP establish itself as a political force in West Bengal in 2009. Riding on the support of the Gorkha community, the party won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, sending veteran leader and former Union minister Jaswant Singh to Parliament on the promise of advocating for a separate Gorkhaland state.


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While the BJP has consistently refrained from making a direct commitment to statehood, it introduced the phrase “permanent political solution” to the Gorkha issue — an approach that has enabled it to maintain electoral dominance in the Darjeeling hills ever since.

Seventeen years later, with the BJP now in power in West Bengal, the Gorkha community — long a steadfast supporter of the party — is once again hopeful about the fulfilment of this promise.

During the assembly election campaign in the Kurseong constituency, Union home minister Amit Shah assured Gorkha voters that a solution would be delivered within six months of the BJP forming the government in the state.

“We are a long-standing ally of the BJP in the hill region. Union home minister Amit Shah has promised a solution to the Gorkha issue within six months of the formation of the government in West Bengal. We are looking at a model similar to the Bodoland Territorial Council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India,” Gorkha Janmukti Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri told ET over the phone.

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All eyes are now on what shape this “permanent political solution” might take. If the BJP opts for a framework under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the Gorkha community has demanded the inclusion of 11 castes in the Scheduled Tribe category. At present, four to five communities, including Tamang, Limbu, Lepcha, and Bhutia are recognised as Scheduled Tribes.

Currently, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) governs the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, overseeing 59 departments, excluding home and judicial affairs. However, a section of the Gorkha community argues that the institution has failed to provide meaningful autonomy.

“GTA is a failed model. Although it nominally controls 59 departments, no real administrative powers have been transferred to it. It lacks both legislative and financial authority and does not even have the power to appoint a teacher,” said HB Chhetri, former MLA from Kalimpong, in a telephonic conversation with ET.

The Gorkha community has long sought minimal interference from the state government in the administration of the hills. In this context, many believe that a “permanent political solution” under the Sixth Schedule could serve as an acceptable and pragmatic way forward.