BJP MLA from Dabgram-Phulbari constituency in Jalpaiguri district Sikha Chatterjee on Thursday demanded that North Bengal should be declared a separate State. During the ongoing West Bengal Assembly session, Chatterjee alleged that the people of North Bengal have been deprived of the state budget.

“The people of North Bengal have one demand, either bring development or let us be a separate State. For years the people of North Bengal have been deprived,” the BJP MLA said while speaking with mediapersons.

“This is not my statement. I am speaking for the people of North Bengal. They want North Bengal to be separated and as their representative I raised their demand in the State Assembly,” Sikha Chatterjee said.

The BJP MLA further alleged that though Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visits North Bengal, but she only goes there for entertainment. “She (CM) Mamata Banerjee goes there, dances wearing gloves and then comes back. There is no development. People do not get basic facilities like drinking water thus there is this demand for a separate state.”

In 2024, Union Minister and state President Sukanta Majumdar had given a proposal to include north Bengal in the Northeast region. According to Majumdar, if North Bengal is included with the Northeast, then it will get its fair share of funds from central schemes.