Writes: Prashant Acharya Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was given a grand reception yesterday afternoon at the Bagdogra airport and in Rohini near Kurseong by hill communities that included the Khambu Rai, Lepcha Development Council members as also cadres of the Gorkha National Liberation Front. This was the first time that GNLF supporters were seen welcoming […]

Writes: NN Ojha Gorkhaland 18th July 2016: It is precisely five years since the tripartite agreement setting up GTA was signed between the Government of India, Government of West Bengal and the GJMM. Incidentally 18 July 2011 too was a Monday like it is five years later today. As the hills prepared for celebrations to […]

TMC hints at rural elections Writes Vivek Chhetri Darjeeling, July 1: The Trinamool Congress (Hills) president today hinted that the state was planning to hold the panchayat elections in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration area by the end of this year. Although the state Election Commission has not made any announcement regarding the polls, Rajen Mukhia, […]

Writes: Upendra Darjeeling 12th July 2016 Tomorrow we celebrate Bhanu Jayanti, in honour of the 1st poet to write and publish in what is today known and regarded as Nepali language. This will be the first time that Bengal government is officially celebrating Bhanu Jayanti since India became Independent. There is a reason behind it. […]

Siliguri, June 17: Mamata Banerjee is likely to announce the new president of the Darjeeling Trinamul district committee in Calcutta tomorrow and ex-footballer Bhaichung Bhutia and Pratul Chakraborty are being considered for the post, sources in the organisation said. The chief minister, said the sources, wanted the replacement of Ranjan Sarkar, the current president of […]

DARJEELING 10 Jun 2016 The Trinamool Congress hill unit has submitted to the Darjeeling district administration its suggestions on a new Kalimpong district and Mirik sub-division. The suggestions incorporate a wide range of proposals such as extending the existing boundaries, forming new sub-divisions and blocks, and setting up expert committees to expedite the process in […]

Writes: Priyata Brajabasi Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress’ might have swept West Bengal but it failed to dislodge the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the Darjeeling hills. Despite Banerjee’s attempts to gain a foothold in the hills, the GJM won all 3 constituencies in the area – Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. The message from the Darjeeling […]

Defeated but in race for berths The Mamata Banerjee government is likely to find some key positions for heavyweight ministers who became casualties in the poll fray. According to a source, the chief minister is weighing her options to position at least five former MLAs – Manish Gupta, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Upen Biswas, Shankar Chakraborty and […]

Darjeeling 4 Apr 2016 The Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League has become the third party to extend support to the two Trinamool Congress candidates in the hills for the Assembly election. The announcement was made today by ABGL president Bharati Tamang from her residence after a hill TMC delegation met her led by Darjeeling TMC candidate […]

In yet another show of solidarity with the Trinmool, the recently formed STGVM which was formed by dissidents from GJM has extended their support to TMC. Attending the TMC rally in Siliguri, the STGVM delegation led by Mr. Sanam Giri, Samvhu Rai, Uttam Gurung and Ram Chettri yesterday said that “we have placed our demands […]

TMC’s hill jot to beat Morcha Writes Vivek Chhetri Darjeeling, April 11: The tie-up with the Jan Andolan Party and the GNLF seems to have given Trinamul enough confidence to take on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in the hills. The first joint meeting convened by Trinamul, GNLF and the JAP drew an impressive crowd at […]

Writes Swaraj Thapa There has been immediate, widespread reaction within the Gorkha community to the BJP led Central goverment’s decision to set up a high level secretarial committee to look into and recommend granting of Scheduled Tribe status to 11 Gorkha communities in India, much of it heartily welcoming the move but some doubting it. […]

Writes Shailendra M Pradhan for TheDC March 31st, 2016 , will go down in the collective memory for two, or possibly three, reasons: hailstorm in Darjeeling, the tragedy in Kolkata caused by the collapse of under-construction bridge, and, of not lesser interest to a cricketing nation like ours, the defeat of India in T20 World […]

In house of man who started Gorkhaland stir, a family united by 3 political parties. “The first ever party formed to fight for a separate state of Gorkhaland (ABGL was formed in 1943 by Damber Singh Gurung) no longer features on Darjeeling’s political map.” The Tamang family in Darjeeling is unique, at least politically. While […]

Writes Binu Sundas An interesting old video was posted today in my whatsapp, which shows Dr. H B Chettri addressing a meeting somewhere in the plains. He concludes his speech saying that we will work together, walk together and reach our destination together. Yes they have worked together as well as walked and is trying […]

After Gorkhas’ monopoly, BJP may open account in Bengal legislative assembly with three seats Writes Madhuparna Das DARJEELING/KURSEONG: The hills look different this election season — there are lots of Trinamool and BJP flags fluttering around, indicating the mood of its people. And unlike many years of identity politics — often marred by violence — […]

A meeting was held at Darjeeling on 02 April on mobilization of joint campaigning for their chosen candidates in upcoming Assembly Poll which was attended by the Office bearer of GNLF, TMC and Jan Andolan Party JAP. For the joint campaigining a committee too was formed for streaming task in respective levels to outreach mass. […]

Writes: Upendra for TheDC FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2016 Much has been going on in the Darjeeling political scenario of late, for anyone remotely interested in politics these are an exciting time for the people in our region. We are literally spoilt for choices, issues range from the promised “development” to “Sikkim merger,” from formation of […]