Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee rules out formation of Gorkhaland

West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said his government was in no mood to concede a separate Gorkhaland, as the common people there "will not be benefited by any means".

"The common people in the Darjeeling hills will suffer in such a small state. They will not be benefited by any means," Bhattacharjee told a meeting, organised by CPI (M)'s trade union body Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), here.

"And for this reason, we are against the creation of Gorkhaland by carving out the northern part of West Bengal," he said.

Claiming that the Trinamool Congress was ambiguous on such separatist movements, Bhattacharjee said the party should make its stand clear on the issue of Gorkhaland.

The chief minister's comment come a day ahead of the fourth round of tripartite talks in Darjeeling, on Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.