WB MLA writes to PM over non-inclusion of MP Raju Bista in new Union Cabinet

Day after the major reshuffle and expansion of the Union Cabinet, West Bengal's Darjeeling MLA Neeraj T Zimba on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the non-inclusion of MP Raju Bista in the new Union Cabinet stating that people in the hills were agitated over the fact that Bista was left out of the Union Cabinet

In the letter, Zimba claimed the non-induction of Bista in the Union Cabinet has demotivated the entire Gorkha community, as they feel that "BJP is not serious about Gorkhas and their issues".

The letter states, "It has not only demotivated party workers but the entire Gorkha community who feel that BJP is never serious about Gorkhas and their issues."

Zimba claimed that Bista has done a lot of developmental work for North Bengal. Zimba asserted that since 2009, Darjeeling has elected a BJP representative to the Lok Sabha and said that leaving out a deserving candidate like Bista has agitated the people of the hills.

"It has proven the lack of seriousness from the government regarding issues concerning the Gorkha community and Darjeeling hills, terai and dooars," Zimba said in the letter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday effected a major reshuffle and expansion of his council of ministers. The expansion saw more representation to states which will go to the polls next year including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat and are apparently aimed at infusing more young talent in the government.

Four BJP MPs from West Bengal were inducted into the Modi cabinet and were given MoS posts. The leaders include Bankura MP Subhas Sarkar, Cooch Behar MP Nisith Pramanik, Bongaon MP Shantanu Thakur and Alipurduar MP John Barla.

Forty-three ministers, including seven who were elevated as cabinet ministers, took the oath of office at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan held with protocols related to COVID-19.

( With inputs from ANI )