DARJEELING, November 11 (TNN): Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh is upbeat about the appointment of a mediator to negotiate with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). "I know that the interlocutor is a step forward to attaining separate statehood. The forthcoming tripartite meeting is very important," the former BJP leader told TOI in Darjeeling. Jaswant is here to attend a three-day national seminar on Formation of Gorkhaland', organized by Gorkha veteran soldiers. Despite being expelled from BJP, the MP who was elected on the Gorkhaland plank said he would continue to be the voice of the people of the Hills. "My role or contribution does not diminish with my ouster from BJP. I am still an MP, albeit an independent one, and will continue to represent the assertion of the just demand of the innocent Hill people in Parliament," he said.
"The Gorkhaland demand has to be looked at as the voice of the people and their aspirations, and not as a problem," he said, criticizing the Bengal government and the Centre for having an "anti-people" view. Singh, however, dissociated himself from recent GJM diktats on closing down panchayat offices and liquor shops and sporting "Gorkhaland" on signboards. "I do not belong to GJM. They supported me in the elections. All announcements of GJM need not be accepted by me," he said.
He parried the question when asked if he was contemplating joining another political party. "All I can say is, I am not for sale," was his one-line answer. He was also evasive on whether he would contest elections in future. "For now, I have given up the thought of fighting elections, be it from Darjeeling or any other state. But one never can apprehend future circumstances," he said.

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