Siliguri, June 6 (PTI): Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) chief Subhas Ghising has demanded tribal status for the Darjeeling Hills if his original demand for a separate state of 'Gorkhaland' could not be conceded by the government.

"The declaration of Darjeeling as a tribal area will foster greater unity among the Gorkhas. This will also be a step forward for Gorkhaland," Ghising, who is currently caretaker administrator of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, after its term expired on March 25, told reporters at Rohini area last evening.

On March 23 West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee had told the assembly that Ghising would be the sole administrator of DGHC after expiry of its term.

The decision had been taken to avoid any confrontation in the hills in view of the situation in neighbouring Nepal, he had said, adding that it had been taken in consultation with the Centre.

Ghising heading the hill body since its inception in 1988 had demanded that he be made the caretaker of the DGHC after the the expiry of its term.

After the Darjeeling Accord was signed in 1988, Ghising had refrained from raising the demand for Gorkhaland.

The state government on March 14 passed the Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council (Amendment) Bill, for appointment of an administrator to the hill body or for constituting a board of administrators till the next elections.

Elections to the DGHC are due in September. Elections to the DGHC could not be held earlier because of opposition from Ghising.