TMC to organise 'padayatra' in the Darjeeling Hills

DARJEELING (WB): Upping its ante against the ruling Gorkha Janmukti Morcha ( GJMM), the Darjeeling Hills unit of Trinamool Congress has announced plans to hold a 'padyatra' against the alleged largscale corruption in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

"The decision to organise the padyatra was taken in our district committee meeting. The foot-march is relevant given the corruption within the GTA," Hill TMC President Rajen Mukhia said today.

He said the padyatra will start from different parts of the hills on November 9 and culminate in Darjeeling town on November 11 where a public meeting will be held.

"We have invited our party president ( Mamata Banerjee) on the final day," Mukhia said.

During her last visit to Darjeeling, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had claimed although her government had pumped in Rs 4,000 crore for development works in the hills, the GJMM-run GTA failed to deliver to the people.

Banerjee's allegations led to a war of words between the GJMM and TMC ever since.