The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has said it is satisfied with the positive dialogue its delegation had with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and hoped it will pave the way for early tripartite talks on the Gorkhaland issue.

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"We are expecting tripartite talks on the Gorkhaland issue soon as the dialogue with Mukherjee was positive," GJM press secretary Benoy Tamang said.

He said Mukherjee gave a patient hearing to the nine-member GJM delegation on Thursday in New Delhi [Images] and assured that the Congress in principle was not against the concept of 'smaller states'.

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Tamang said that Mukherjee had agreed that the GJM movement was not unconstitutional and anti-national.

The delegation, headed by GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, had submitted a memorandum to Mukherjee demanding separate statehood by including areas in Terai and the foothills of Dooars in Jalpaiguri district.

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Mukherjee, Tamang claimed, had also assured the delegation that he would present a clear picture of the GJM movement to United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi [Images], Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil [Images].