KOHIMA, May 13: TA Ngullie, Congress candidate for the 37 Tyui Assembly constituency was on Saturday declared elected unopposed following the withdrawal from the fray by Independent candidate CY Kithan. By-election to this constituency was scheduled on May 26. Nagaland chief electoral officer Lalthara said that he declared Ngullie elected unopposed as he remained the lone candidate for the constituency following Kithan's withdrawal from the race. The by-election was necessitated following the death of state tourism and border affairs minister TCK Lotha. Former finance, revenue and power minister, Ngullie had joined politics in 1964, when he was elected from the same constituency. He was re-elected in 1969, 1974, 1977, 1982, 1989 and 1993 from there. He was also elected deputy speaker of the Assembly in 1971. In 1990, he resigned from the Congress and joined the Nagaland People's Council and was appointed minister for power, boundary affairs, planning and coordination. He rejoined the Congress later. (UNI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; May 18, 2000)

AGARTALA, May 20: Hirendra Kumar Tripura and Debabrata Koloi were elected chairman and chief executive member respectively of the newly constituted 30-member Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). Tripura law secretary BB Senapati later administered the oath of office and secrecy to Koloi and seven executive members belonging to Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), a newly formed tribal-based party, at its headquarters at Khumulwng, near here. state's acting Chief Minister Anil Sarkar and Tribal welfare minister Aghore Debbarma, Opposition leader Jawahar Saha among others were present in the swearing-in ceremony. The election for the 30-member TTAADC was held in two phases on April 30 and May 3. The IPFT had voted out the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Front winning 18 of the 28 elective seats (two members were nominated by the Governor). The CPI(M)-led Left Front secured the remaining ten seats. The CPI(M)-Led Left Front members boycotted the proceedings for elections for the chairman and chief executive member to protest the forcible capture of the TTAADC by the IPFT with the help of banned militant outfit NLFT. (UNI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; May 21, 2000)

NEW DELHI, May 24: The current Tripura situation might force a Central intervention to bring insurgency-related violence under control, official sources indicated here today as the Centre directed the state government to explore possibilities of beginning peace talks with insurgents. Although home minister L K Advani has ruled out the possibility of imposing President's rule in the insurgency-hit state, it appears the Centre is keeping all options open in the interest of peace in this sensitive area. The general perception in the North Block is that the state government has adequate forces at its command which have not been put to effective use. Centre's perception is the situation has worsened due to "indecision" of the government which is "too bureaucratic" in its approach and lacks "strategic vision" to combat insurgency. The inefficiency of the CPM-led government in meeting the challenge posed by insurgents has paralysed the administrative set up, particularly in the worst-affected tribal areas. Making case for Central intervention in view of worsening situation in the state, state government sources here felt the Centre should act "tough" on the administration to tide over the crisis. While rejecting the state government's demand for more Central forces, sources felt the already available 25 battalions were not being effectively used. Analysing the utilisation of the security forces by the government, a senior home ministry official pointed out that the 25 battalions had only 23 encounters with the insurgents during last year, thereby meaning that every battalion came face to face with the militants only once in 12 months. It was a serious reflection on the administrative capabilities of the Tripura government, sources felt. A pointer to the poor management of the available security forces by the state authorities is the fact that all vantage points like ridges and hilltops have not been used by them to set up pickets. An amazing situation has developed as militants could be seen occupying these high points. (Anil Anand; The Asian Age; New Delhi; May 25, 2000)

GUWAHATI, May 28: Two years after it broke away from the parent party, the Assam Samajwadi Party (ASP) yesterday returned to the fold of the Samajwadi Party. Welcoming the splinter group, SP state president, Bhubaneswar Barman said his party will try to form a socialist movement in the state and urged party workers to devote themselves to the socialist cause with discipline. Head of the ASP, Narayan Sarma said, he has returned to the SP to prevent the movement from getting weakened. Barman said the return of the ASP is 'unconditional'. There was never a clash of ideology, he said. He said problems, if any, should be sorted out in the party forum. Commenting on the situation in the state, the SP leader said the IMDT Act issue is being used by people to further political aims. Although he refused to be drawn to any specific comment against or in favour of IMDT Act, Barman said it should not be used to harass the minorities. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; May 29, 2000)

SHILLONG, May 29: The ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) today wrested the Mairang Assembly seat in West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya from the Congress in the bye-elections the results of which was announced today. UDP candidate Rasor Rani polled 6994 votes against his nearest Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) rival, Fuller Lyngdoh Mawnai who secured 5,200 votes in the five-cornered contest. NCP candidate Steamer M Syiem put up a creditable performance securing 3,921 votes to come out third. Surprisingly the Congress, which held the seat for the last two terms, fared poorly. Its candidate, Kwer Manrose Nongseij lost his security deposit polling only 490 votes. The same fate was shared by the Independent candidate, Nit Shabong. With today's win, the UDP's strength in the 6-member house has gone up to 21. The ruling coalition is now 41-strong which also include NCP (10), Independents (NCP associate)-4, BJP (3), People's Democratic Party (PDM)-3. The Congress-led Opposition with 19 members comprise Congress (14), HSPDP) (2), Independents (2) and Garo National Council (one). The byelection was necessitated owing to the death of the sitting Congress (I) member, Kitdor Syiem, in January this year. UDP sources said that Rani is expected to be inducted into the ministry to give representation to the West Khasi Hills district. (Special Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; May 30, 2000)

GUWAHATI, May 29: Ruling AGP has won the bye-elections in Nalbari and Bhawanipur Legislative Assembly constituencies, while the BJP has won Karimganj (North) Legislative Assembly Constituency by a margin of over 6,000 votes. The by-elections to these three Assembly seats were held on May 26 last. However, re-polls in eight polling stations of Karimganj (North) constituency, which witnessed clashes on May 26, were held today. In Nalbari, AGP's Alaka Sarma defeated her nearest Congress rival Bhumidhar Barman by a margin of 5,391 votes, while in Bhawanipur AGP's Manoranjan Das defeated his nearest Congress rival Sarbananda Chowdhury by a margin of 289 votes. BJP's Mission Ranjan Das won the Karimganj (North) seat by a margin of 6,421 votes over his nearest AGP rival Ghulam Karim Mohammad Ali Murad Chowdhury. While Das secured 34,849 votes of the total 83,053 votes cast in the bye-election, Ghulam Karim Mohammad secured 28,428 votes and Congress(I)'s Madhabendra Dutta, 13,000 votes. Altogether 1,329 votes were found invalid in the constituency. In Bhawanipur seat, AGP's Monoranjan Das secured 22,723 votes, against the 22,434 votes of Congress (I)s Sarbananda Chowdhury and 18,523 votes of Independent candidate Milan Boro. BJP nominee Manjushree Pathak secured 2,592 votes, while Independent candidate Azad Ali secured 836 votes and URMCA's Najim Mollah 314 votes. Former AGP minister late Suren Medhi returned from Bhawanipur in 1996 elections. But his premature death necessitated a bye-poll in the Constituency in 1998. People's Democratic Front (PDF) nominee late Binode Gayari got himself elected from the Constituency in 1998 bye-poll. But, again, the untimely death of Binode Gayari this year necessitated the bye-poll in the Constituency. About 52 per cent of the 96,265 voters of the Constituency exercised their franchise in the May 26 last bye-poll. Meanwhile, AGP, Congress (I) candidates and Independent Milan Boro have been trading charges of rigging against each another. Our Nalbari Correspondent reports: The ruling AGP retained the prestigious Nalbari Assembly seat with a clear margin of 5,391 votes. AGP nominee Alaka Sarma, who is also the widow of former PWD-cum-forest minister Nagen Sarma, secured 38,478 votes against Congress (I) nominee and former Chief Minister Bhumidhar Barman's 33,087 votes. BJP nominee Chandra Kanta Talukdar secured 10,089 votes in support of his candidature, while Asom Jatiya Sanmilan supported Independent candidate Hemanta Barman secured only 7,519 votes. The other two Independent candidates Chandradhar Kalita and Sidheswar Sarma secured 2,294 and 210 votes respectively. The candidatures of Kalita and Sarma were supported respectively by the CPI (ML)-URMCA combine and the SUCI. At least 1,193 votes in the constituency were found invalid. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; May 30, 2000)