Among the leaders AIGL is planning to meet include Congress president Sonia Gandhi, general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

“Sonia Gandhi has already given us time on August 20. We have sought time from these leaders too,” Dawa Sherpa, working president of AIGL, told The Indian Express. AIGL leaders said they also plan to meet Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Earlier, the Centre did not recognise any outfit other than GNLF or GJM for talks on Gorkha issue. However, the state government has been urging the Central government to involve parties other than the GJM.

Sherpa said they have lost faith in the state government over arrest of the real culprits involved in the murder of their president Madan Tamang.

“We requested Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to catch the real culprits. He assured us he would soon do it but ended up taking into custody Nicole Tamang, who is a small fry. The real conspirators like GJM general secretary Roshan Giri are roaming free in the Hills,” said Sherpa.

He said they would urge the Centre to put pressure on the state government so that real culprits are behind the bars soon.

He also said that he will request the Central leaders to involve them in the talks.