CPM leader and state transport minister, Subhas Chakraborty, came out in support of Chief Minister’s decision of not inviting the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) for the all-party meet. “The chief minister has rightly taken the decision of not inviting the GJM as it is not a recognised political party.

“Nobody should encourage secessionism,” he added.

He also indirectly criticised GJM leader Bimal Gurung and said: “Why the state government should encourage Bimal Gurung who has suddenly emerged on the scene of hill politics? Gorkha National Liberation Front chief Subhas Ghising has had a 10-year-long stint in the hill politics which Bimal Gurung has not.”

The Trinamool Congress, which has told the state government that it would attend the all-party meet only after the GJM is also invited, reacted strongly to Chakraborty’s comments.

Leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee equated Chakraborty’s statement with another CPM leader Binoy Konar’s controversial comment, which the latter made over the Nandigram situation. Chatterjee said that such statements by such senior ministers of the state government would aggravate the volatile situation in Darjeeling.