Gorkha Janamukti Morcha hints at supporting Trinamool Congress in Lok Sabha polls

KOLKATA: The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha ( GJM) leadership hinted at supporting Trinamool Congress in the Hills during the next general elections.

"When we are working together with them (Trinamool-led state government) for development of the Hills, then we are also ready to work together on other matters," senior GJM leader and MLA Harka Bahadur Chetri told reporters here.

When asked whether the GJM would contest the next Lok Sabha elections, he said "I don't have the mandate to speak on this issue."

The GJM, which plays a deciding role in the contest for Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, had supported BJP's Jaswant Singh during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, leading to his victory.

Following the Centre's decision to carve out a separate state of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, the GJM had started a violent movement in the Hills demanding a separate Gorkhaland, but scaled down its agitation after strong administrative measures by the state government.

Chetri also said as the GJM and Trinamool are working together for the development of the Hills, GJM members would sit with the Trinamool MLAs in the treasury bench of the state Assembly from now on.

During their agitation for Gorkhaland, GJM had written to the Speaker with a plea of changing the seats of their MLAs from the treasury bench to opposition bench.