Suvendu Adhikari skips Darjeeling GJM event, heads to Gujarat for Modi programme
Synopsis
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari was set to share a stage with the Sikkim Chief Minister at GJM's foundation day in Darjeeling — a rare diplomatic signal for the hill region. Instead, he cancelled at the last moment and flew to Gujarat for a PM Modi milestone event, leaving an unresolved question about when, or whether, that West Bengal–Sikkim moment will be reattempted.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari cancelled his Darjeeling visit on 7 October at the last moment.
He departed for Gujarat to attend an event marking 25 years of PM Narendra Modi's public administrative journey.
Adhikari had been the scheduled keynote speaker at the GJM foundation day programme in Darjeeling .
The Chief Minister of Sikkim was also expected at the event, making the occasion a potential diplomatic milestone for West Bengal–Sikkim relations.
GJM founder-president Bimal Gurung said relations between the two states had improved significantly under the current West Bengal government compared to the Mamata Banerjee era.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's planned visit to Darjeeling on Wednesday, 7 October was cancelled at the last moment, with the Chief Minister instead departing for Gujarat to attend an event commemorating 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public administrative journey. The abrupt change of plan drew political attention given the significance of the Darjeeling programme he was scheduled to headline.
What Was Planned in Darjeeling
Adhikari had been slated as the key speaker at the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) foundation day programme in Darjeeling. The event had generated considerable political interest because the Chief Minister of Sikkim was also expected to share the stage — a symbolically significant moment that observers had interpreted as a possible step toward strengthening ties between West Bengal and Sikkim.
The two neighbouring states have carried the weight of a fractious recent history. During the 2017–18 Gorkhaland agitation in the hills of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong, the then Trinamool Congress (TMC) government led by Mamata Banerjee repeatedly accused the Sikkim administration of stoking unrest. Bringing both chief ministers onto a shared platform had, therefore, carried clear diplomatic weight.
Bimal Gurung on Bengal–Sikkim Relations
Bimal Gurung, founder-president of the GJM, spoke at length about the occasion's significance. He argued that relations between the two states had markedly improved under the current political dispensation in West Bengal, crediting the shift to what he described as a 'double-engine government.'
'When Mamata Banerjee was the Chief Minister earlier, relations with Sikkim then were not good. Be it a problem in Sikkim or in West Bengal, the people of Sikkim had to bear all the hardships. But now the situation has improved in a double-engine government in West Bengal,' Gurung said.
He added that convening both chief ministers on one platform was a deliberate GJM initiative to further cement ties between the two states.
Gurung's Tribute to Adhikari
Gurung also used the occasion to reflect on his personal association with Chief Minister Adhikari, describing him as a leader shaped by adversity. 'We have been with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 2009. Now they have come to power not only at the Centre but also in West Bengal. A leader who has struggled always understands the sacrifice of others. Adhikari has gone through many ups and downs during the previous Trinamool Congress regime. I have also gone through many difficult situations. Even during those difficult times, I had a good relationship with Shuvendu Adhikari,' he said.
Political Significance and What Comes Next
Adhikari's cancellation leaves the Darjeeling event without its marquee name, raising questions about whether the diplomatic moment between West Bengal and Sikkim can be rescheduled. The Gujarat visit, tied to a national-level programme honouring Prime Minister Modi's 25-year administrative journey, signals where the Chief Minister's immediate political priorities lie. Whether the Darjeeling engagement is merely deferred or quietly dropped will be watched closely by hill politics observers and GJM leadership alike.
Point of View
The national event won without apparent hesitation. That hierarchy matters in Darjeeling, where political visibility from Kolkata has historically been interpreted as either recognition or neglect. The GJM had framed the joint appearance with Sikkim's CM as its own diplomatic initiative — its credibility now depends on whether Adhikari can be brought back before the momentum fades. Bimal Gurung's effusive praise for Adhikari also underscores how thoroughly the GJM has reoriented from its Gorkhaland-agitation posture toward accommodation within a BJP-aligned framework, a shift that carries its own long-term risks for the movement's identity.
NationPress
7 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Suvendu Adhikari cancel his Darjeeling visit?
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari cancelled his Darjeeling visit on 7 October to travel to Gujarat for an event marking 25 years of PM Narendra Modi's public administrative journey. No other reason was officially stated for the last-minute change.
What was the GJM foundation day event in Darjeeling about?
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha foundation day programme in Darjeeling was a politically significant gathering at which Adhikari was the scheduled keynote speaker. The Chief Minister of Sikkim was also expected to attend, with political observers viewing the joint appearance as a possible step toward improved West Bengal–Sikkim ties.
What did Bimal Gurung say about West Bengal–Sikkim relations?
GJM founder-president Bimal Gurung said relations between West Bengal and Sikkim had improved significantly under the current government compared to the Mamata Banerjee era, when Sikkim was accused of fuelling the 2017–18 Gorkhaland agitation. He described the effort to bring both chief ministers together as a GJM initiative to strengthen ties between the neighbouring states.
What is the event Adhikari attended in Gujarat?
The Gujarat event marks 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public administrative journey. Adhikari chose to attend this national-level programme over the Darjeeling engagement.
What is the background of West Bengal–Sikkim tensions?
During the 2017–18 Gorkhaland agitation in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong, the Trinamool Congress government led by Mamata Banerjee repeatedly accused the Sikkim administration of stoking unrest in North Bengal's hill districts. The GJM foundation day was seen as an opportunity to formally move beyond that period under the current BJP-aligned dispensation in West Bengal.
