SHILLONG, October 15: Meghalaya Chief Minister BB Lyngdoh today allocated the portfolios of the 12 ministers inducted yesterday from the ruling United Democratic Party's (UDP) new alliance partners. He also reshuffled the portfolios of the existing 18 ministers from his own UDP. The biggest surprise is the allocation of the all-important home (police) portfolio to TH Rangad of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He has also been allotted education including primary and adult education. Equally surprising is the apparent fall from grace of AH Scott Lyngdoh who has been divested of both home and finance portfolios. He becomes the new minister for revenue, information and public relations and reorganisation. The Chief Minister himself will retain the earlier portfolios of cabinet affairs, political, personnel. He has also taken over the finance portfolio from Scott Lyngdoh. Martle N Mukhim has jumped to number two in the ministry from number 12 position. His promotion is apparent from the fact that he has also been given public works department in addition to power which he held earlier. Other UDP members in the ministry include parliamentary minister, HB Dan, health minister, Donkupar Roy, food and civil supplies minister Nimarson Momin, incidentally the only UDP member from Garo Hills. Lotsing A Sangma, leader of the 12-member Nationalist Congress Party group, who is learnt to have haggled for the post of deputy Chief Minister, has been given planning, cooperation and programme implementation. Monindra Rava of NCP gets transport and election while NCP associate member, FA Khonglam has been allotted animal husbandry and veterinary, another NCP associate member KC Momin given tourism. Roshan Warjri of UDP and the only woman in the 30-member council of ministers has been allotted urban affairs and general administration. The two-tier ministry includes 22 ministers of cabinet rank and eight ministers of state. (Special Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 16, 1999)

ITANAGAR, October 15: Tamiyo Taga and Rajesh Tacho were unanimously elected speaker and deputy speaker of Arunachal Pradesh legislative assembly respectively. Taga, a veteran of Arunachal Pradesh politics, was first elected to the state assembly in 1990. Graduating from JN College in Pasighat, he joined the Congress in 1979. He was elected on a Congress ticket from Rumgong assembly constituency this time. Tacho, who belongs to one the remotest part of the state, was elected unopposed from Anini assembly constituency. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 16, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 16: In his first visit to Manipur after taking charge as the Union minister of state for culture, youth affairs and sports, Thounoujam Chaoba Singh today said his priority would be to improve the infrastructure for sports in the Northeast. Addressing his maiden press conference here after assuming office, Chaoba Singh, who landed here today, said, "There is no proper stadium in Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. I will visit these states and try to improve the sports infrastructure." He also emphasised on the need to increase the number of coaches in a bid to improve the standard of Indian sports. Chaoba Singh is the third MP from Manipur to get a berth in the Union ministry and among the two Northeast MPs to get a berth in the Vajpayee ministry. The Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) today held a grand reception in his honour. All MSCP ministers, including Chief Minister W. Nipamacha Singh, expressed their gratitude to Vajpayee for recognising the aspirations of the people of the Northeast. Chaoba Singh started his political career in 1960 with the congress. He was first elected to the Manipur Assembly in 1972 from Nambol constituency which he represented till 1994. There was an attempt on his life by militants in 1988, when he lost his first wife and a son. But Chaoba Singh, who continues to hold the nerve of Manipur politics, never gave up. He continued to climb the political ladder when he held the post of deputy Chief Minister in 1994 and got elected from Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency thrice consecutively since 1996. He was instrumental in splitting the Manipur unit of the Congress in December 1997 with Nipamacha Singh to form the MSCP. His critics had earlier ruled out a ministerial berth for him on the ground of his poor educational record and his inability to converse properly in either Hindi or English. By securing a berth in the 70-member-strong Union ministry, the 62-year-old minister, also known as the Machiavelli of Manipur politics, has silenced his critics. The ministry came as reward for extending his support to Atal Behari Vajpayee in the previous Lok Sabha. As Chaoba Singh took the oath of office at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday, sportspersons and sports lovers rejoiced all over Manipur. Vajpayee's allotted the culture, youth affairs and sports portfolio to Chaoba Singh at the recommendation of the people of Manipur, who feel that it is a recognition of Manipur's contribution to Indian sports. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 17, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 17: Definition of indigenous people of Assam is the issue that will be discussed in the next meeting of sub-committee formed to suggest measures needed to be taken for the protection of the constitutional rights of the people of Assam. The committee, headed by GK Pillai, Joint secretary (Northeast) of the Union home ministry is scheduled to meet in New Delhi on October 25. In its last meeting, the representatives of the Union government agreed on principle that all the seats in the state assembly and the Lok Sabha in the state should be kept reserved for the indigenous people of the state. The proposal was mooted by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU). But at that time no one could give a proper definition of the indigenous people and though the state government gave its views in this regard, it was rejected by the AASU. The general secretary of the AASU, Amiya Kumar Bhuyan told this correspondent today that after the AASU rejected the state government's proposal on the definition of indigenous people, the Union government representatives in the committee asked the AASU to give its views on the subject and the students' body is likely to submit its proposal in the next meeting of the committee. He said that the AASU held a series of discussions with the students' union representing different ethnic groups of people of the state to finalise the proposal to be forwarded before the Union government. He said that a meeting with all the students unions of ethnic groups was scheduled to be held on September 25 to finalise the proposal about the definition of indigenous people of Assam but the meeting had to be postponed as some of the students' bodies got busy with the elections. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 18, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 17: They blame the Congress misrule, Congress-former United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) nexus, Congress-ULFA nexus and the communal propaganda resorted to by both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress for their party's and alliance partner's drawing a blank in the past two Lok Sabha elections in the state. In Guwahati constituency AGP candidate secured altogether 1,19,034 votes this time, against the BJP candidate's 3,84,771 and the Congress's 3,09,533. The BJP candidate was returned from the seat. The total valid votes cast in the constituency this time was 8,58,028. AGP candidates returned from all the ten assembly segments of the constituency in the 1996 general election. Five of these MLAs are now the members of the state cabinet. Many voters while talking to newspersons ventilated their ire against the AGP-led state government style of functioning and particularly against the seal of approval it was attaching to the 'secret killings' and the absence of any developmental work during the past three years of these government's rule. The non-payment of salaries to the teachers and the non-fulfilment of the state government employees' demand for a better pay structure also came to be decisive in shaping their attitude towards the present government. In the assembly segment of Dudhnoi, the AGP candidate secured only 7,758 votes, against the BJP's 37,530 and the Congress' 28,790. In Boko, the AGP candidate polled 19,600 votes, against BJP's 17,390 votes and Congress' 48,153 votes. In Chaygaon, the AGP had 25,534 votes in its favour, against BJP's 9,680 votes and Congress' 39,402 votes. In Palasbari the AGP had 23,487 votes in its favour, against BJP's 24,366 votes and Congress' 19,656. The AGP had 3,503 votes in its favour in Jalukbari assembly segment, while BJP polled 50,039 votes and Congress 25,248 votes. In Dispur segment the AGP's vote was 8,427 against BJP's 69,980 and Congress' 28,085. In Guwahati East AGP secured 4,588 votes, BJP 56,853 and Congress 17,252. In Guwahati West AGP had 10,484 votes in favour of its candidate, while the BJP candidate secured 54,501 votes and the Congress candidate 20,848 votes. In Hajo segment the AGP's share was 13,083 votes, while the BJP polled 31,220 votes and the Congress 30,853 votes. In Barkhetri AGP had its poorest share of 2,483 votes against 32,927 votes of the BJP and 51,191 votes of the Congress. And, in the case of postal ballots too, the AGP could manage to secure only 27 votes in favour of its candidate for the Lok Sabha seat, whereas the BJP secured the highest number of 285 votes followed by the Congress with 55 votes! (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 18, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 18: The Opposition Congress, CPI(M) and DRPP in Manipur have demanded a "thorough inquiry" into an official letter on creation of a Union Territory out of the state even as Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha Singh convened a meeting of senior government officials to discuss the issue. Expressing anguish at the letter, dated October 7 and circulated by the state director of education to principals of all government colleges in the state, on "creation of a Union Territory under article 230 and 239-a of the Constitution of India for the tribal people of outer Manipur", the Chief Minister summoned the meet to give a prompt reply to the Union Home Ministry clarifying the state government's position in the matter. The letter in question, official sources said, was circulated to collect certain information following a query from the Union Home Ministry after the Manipur-based All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) submitted a memorandum to President K.R. Narayanan demanding creation of a Union Territory out of the hill districts, they added. Congress, CPM And Democratic Revolutionary People's Party (DRPP) have condemned the letter, which was circulated on instruction of the state secretariat following a query from the Home Ministry and have sought a clarification from the Chief Minister. Their statements also demanded a "thorough inquiry" into the issue. The letter, circulated on instruction of the state secretariat, asked the principals to furnish session-wise enrolment of students, total number of reserved seats for SC/ST candidates, percentage of reservation out of the total enrolment and actual number of admitted students during the 1997-98 and 1998-99, the sources said. The Congress expressed doubts whether the memorandum had the consent of all sections of the hill people and said it would oppose any move to "break up" Manipur. In its statement, the CPM wondered why the Chief Minister and deputy Chief Minister L. Chandramani Singh were kept in the dark about such an important issue and wanted an immediate clarification from the government. The newly-formed DRPP demanded that ATSUM be banned claiming it had become "non existent" as it had lost the support of Kuki Students Organisation and All Naga Students Association, Manipur. (PTI; The Indian Express, New Delhi; October 19, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 20: Opposition Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Democratic Revolutionary People's Party (DRPP) in Manipur have demanded a "thorough inquiry" into an official letter on creation of a Union Territory out of the state even as Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha Singh convened a meeting of senior government officials to discuss the issue. Expressing anguish at the letter, dated October 7 and circulated by the state director of education to principals of all government colleges in the state, on "creation of a Union Territory under Article 230 and 239-A of the Constitution of India for the tribal people of Outer Manipur," the Chief Minister summoned the meet to give a prompt reply to the Union home ministry clarifying the state government's position in the matter. The letter in question, official sources on Sunday said, was circulated to collect certain information following a query from the Union home ministry after the Manipur-based All Tribal Students Union, Manipur submitted a memorandum to President KR Narayanan demanding creation of a Union Territory out of the hill districts, they added. Congress, CPI-M and DRPP have condemned the letter, which was circulated on instruction of the state secretariat following a query from the home ministry and have sought a clarification from the Chief Minister. Their statements Saturday also demanded a "thorough inquiry" into the issue. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 21, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 21: Manipur chief secretary H. Jel Shyam has apologised to Chief Minister W. Nipamacha Singh for not apprising him on the "Union territory" issue. Jel Shyam yesterday apologised before the state Cabinet which was specially summoned to discuss the matter. Sources said the Chief Minister fired the first salvo by asking Jel Shyam whether he was superior to him when a popular government is in the state. Other Cabinet ministers followed suit, grilling the chief secretary on the issue. The anomaly surfaced when the state home department sought certain data on Scheduled Tribe reservation from the higher education department by using a caption "Creation of Union territory for the tribal people residing in hill areas". The state home department issued the circular after the Union home ministry passed on a memorandum by the All-Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM). The memorandum was submitted to President K.R. Narayanan and the President's office directed it to the Union home ministry without any comment. As a routine affair, it was forwarded to the Manipur government. After the issue was first picked up by a local daily, the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress, geared up for a showdown with Nipamacha Singh. The party also demanded a clarification from the Chief Minister. With the Opposition's pressure mounting and confusion among the public growing, the ruling coalition decided to grill the chief secretary for the unilateral decision. Jel Shyam yesterday told the Cabinet that he never took the memorandum seriously as its demands were unreasonable and unjustified. After the chief secretary said "sorry", the Cabinet decided to drop the matter. However, Jel Shyam was warned never to repeat such action in future. Though the matter was apparently a minor one, it exploded because of the prevailing situation. Manipur's territorial integrity is now a sensitive and emotional issue after the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) demanded a "greater Nagaland" which comprises a portion of the state. The Cabinet has also decided to give a strongly-worded reply to the Union home ministry. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 22, 1999)

CHAMPHAI (Mizoram), October 21: The Young Mizo Association (YMA), a prominent NGO in Mizoram, today urged the state government to immediately abolish Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) describing it as unconstitutional. In a resolution adopted at the general conference of the YMA here, the delegates said the formation of CADC for foreigners in 1972 was a 'historical blunder and unconstitutional.' The YMA also requested the state administration to take more stringent steps so that entry of illegal immigrants from across the international border could be prevented. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 22, 1999)

AIZAWL, October 22: With a positive swing of 13.93 per cent in its favour, the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and Mizoram Lok Sabha seat with a vote share of 58.8 per cent at the cost of Opposition Congress-led three-party alliance. The ruling combine's consensus candidate Vanlalzawma secured 1,71,557 votes against Rokamlova, common candidate of the Congress-MNF(Nationalist)-Janata Dal alliance who polled 1,02,898 (35.30 per cent) votes. Vanlalzawma's huge margin of 68,659 votes was the highest ever in Mizoram's electoral history. MNF-MPC's success ratio was 33.33 per cent. Congress, which fought the 1998 Lok Sabha polls on its own, could not keep its votes intact even after forging alliance with the other two parties. Abstention of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the hustings did not hurt the MNF-Mizo Peoples Conference alliance as predicted and the Congress-led alliance failed to gain in two assembly constituency segments where BJP was strong. With seven candidates in the fray, the turnout was good at 65.41 per cent, but three per cent lower than in the last election. A total of 2,93,455 voters out of the 4,48,649 exercised their franchise. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 23, 1999)

SHILLONG, October 23: Once a nonentity in Meghalaya politics, the BJP has now become the backbone of the four-party ruling coalition led by B.B. Lyngdoh. There is no doubt within the coalition that it is the BJP which made it possible for Lyngdoh to sever ties with the Congress and form a new government, the fourth in 18 months. The coalition comprises the BJP, the United Democratic Party, the Nationalist Congress Party, the People's Democratic Movement and a couple of Independent legislators. The BJP's ascent to power in the state is surprising against the backdrop of its image as a "Hindu fundamentalist party" with an allegedly "anti-Christian" agenda. Its coalition partners, however, do not appear to be perturbed by speculation about how long this ideologically conflicting political marriage will last. "I think our government will last because the BJP is in power here as well as at the Centre", said People's Democratic Movement legislator Cyprian R. Marak, who has become minister for the first time and is the youngest member of the new government. According to most ministers, the Congress would have been a "destabilising force" had it remained a part of the government. Lyngdoh had no option but to sever ties with the party after it fared disastrously in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, they said. "No one will want to join the Congress now because it does not stand a chance of regaining power at the Centre," Marak said. While Marak believes that the new government will last five years, most of his ministerial colleagues are wary of making any prediction. "If we have cohesion and understanding with each other, our government will surely last," said Kulart Ch. Momin, who is an Independent legislator but an ardent supporter of NCP general secretary Purno A. Sangma. Momin said an "ideological clash" between the UDP and the Congress led to the fall of the previous government. However, he said there was no such problem with the BJP. "The BJP has been branded as an anti-Christian party, but this is not true. The BJP legislators in our state are all Christians," he said. UDP member R. Lennon Tariang, another first-time minister, echoed Momin's views. However, he said the "smaller parties" who were part of the coalition should regard the UDP as the "elder brother". (Linda C; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 24, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 23: The Manipuri students studying in Meghalaya have strongly objected to the recent occupation of the Manipur Rajbari at Shillong by some individuals. The 2112 sq feet Manipur Rajbari at Shillong is back in the news, this time again with the report that a businessman has constructed a house at the complex of the Rajbari. The Rajbari has a controversial history. Sources said, in the year 1979, a spacious area was allegedly sold off by the then Maharajah Okendrajit of Manipur to two businessmen from Shillong identified as Lallu and Pyugropi for Rs 3 lakh. Following the hue and cry raised by people on the issue, the state government bought the land back at a whopping Rs 11 lakh. The government then despatched VR Biching as the Assistant as the Assistant Resident Commissioner to take care of the land. Talking to mediapersons here at Imphal, leaders of the Meghalaya Manipuri Welfare Society, Shillong Manipuri Students Union and All Manipur United Clubs Organisation and Manipuri Students Federation have alleged that Lallu has constructed a house inside the Manipur Rajbari recently. According to them, the state government has filed an eviction suit against Lallu and the matter will come up in the court on November 22 next. A memorandum has also been submitted to the Manipur Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha in this connection. According to the memorandum, the Manipuri students in Meghalaya have demanded that the Manipur Rajbari at Shillong be preserved as a historical place. They also demanded settlement of the dispute over the certain portion of the Rajbari, construction of an auditorium, students hostel, a guest house, opening of a Manipuri handloom window market, setting up of a cultural centre and a room for the office of the Meghalaya Manipuri Students Welfare Society. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 24, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 23: Manipur Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha has reviewed the security arrangements for the repoll in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency scheduled for October 28. A high-level security meeting was convened in this connection here at the Chief Minister's conference hall under the chairmanship of Chief Minister on Friday afternoon. The deputy Chief Minister Leishangthem Chandramani Singh and all the outer candidates also attended the meeting. Top civil and security officials also attended the gathering. The state chief secretary H Jelshayam informed the meeting about the Centre's assurance to provide 245 companies of the parliamentary forces to ensure a smooth repoll. Informing the arrival of the six companies of the Border Security Forces, the chief secretary said a security company will be detailed for each of the polling stations. Besides a helicopter will also be pressed into service during the voting, the sources said. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Manipur Pradesh has implored the state and Union governments to provide adequate security arrangements to ensure free and fair repoll in the 176 polling stations of the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency. It may be mentioned here that earlier the state chief Electoral Officer said that altogether 173 polling station have been identified for the repoll, but another three polling stations increased again this time. In another development, the outlawed NSCN(IM) has issued a stern warning to the Indian government not to impose military-backed elections on the Naga people. According to press handout, the Naga militant outfit said NSCN interference in the Indian elections is to resist imposition of military-backed elections in Nagas. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 24, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 24: The minorities of the state are to be taken into confidence while trying to resolve the issues concerning the IMDT Act and the influx of Bangladeshi nationals into the state, said Tamir Ahmed, general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and chairman of the All India Hajj Committee here today. Ahmed, who was addressing newspersons here this morning, also said that confrontationist line on the above issues should be discouraged. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 25, 1999)

NEW DELHI, October 25: Spelling out the newly-installed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's plans for the Northeastern states, President KR Narayanan today affirmed the government's intention to fence the remaining portion of the Indo-Bangla border shortly. What was otherwise a highly significant address in which the President laid bare the plans and programmes of the Vajpayee government, was marked by two disruptions including one by Bodo MP Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmutiary. The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU)-supported and BJP ally MP created quite a flutter during the President's address to the joint session of the two Houses, when protesting the silence of the Union government to the demand for creation of a separate Bodoland state, he raised a fracas. "Where is the mention about Bodoland? No Bodoland no rest," Bwiswmutiary shouted when the President announced that necessary action would soon be initiated to give full statehood to Delhi and for creation of Uttaranchal, Vananchal and Chhatisgarh as new states. The President halted for a few seconds then went on with the rest of his address even as Bwiswmutiary continued to voice his protest. (Staff Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 26, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 25: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is committed to scrap the IMDT Act and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are not likely to pose any problem in matters of repealing the Act. Even in the case of some of the NDA partners like the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee, opposing the move to repeal the Act, the BJP will see to it that such opposition are overcome by making all the NDA partners agreeable to the move, said senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj here today. Swaraj, who was addressing a meet the press function organised by the Guwahati Press Club this morning, however, maintained that to repeal the Act, which has become a bone of contention between the Union government and the anti-alien movement leaders, the BJP and the NDA do not have the required majority in the Rajya Sabha - the Upper House of Parliament. Moreover, the issue is still pending in the Supreme Court of India, she said. During the term of the last Lok Sabha, the BJP despite its commitment to repeal the Act, failed to table a Bill for the purpose, as in the cases of other legislations it was committed to, due to the defeat of the BJP-led Union government in the trust vote much before the end of its term, she said. In reply to another question, Swaraj, who was a cabinet minister in the last BJP-led government at the Centre, said that the NE package announced by the former Prime minister HD Deve Gowda was made more effective by the last Union government. But, as the BJP-led Union government was toppled, the impacts of the new measures for giving the package the right orientation, were not felt in the NE region. This time the impacts of these measures will be discernible, she claimed. When asked for her comments on the views expressed by the Union home minister LK Advani that the illegal migrants staying in the state would be accorded work permits as their deportation was an impossible proposition, Swaraj flatly denied that Advani had even expressed any such view. When asked whether she would demand a judicial inquiry to go into the allegation of politician-ultra nexus in the state, and, more particularly, into the allegation made by the state DGP that the BJP candidate for the Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency Pannalal Oswal got himself trapped and killed while going to negotiate with the ULFA during the last Lok Sabha elections, Swaraj stubbornly said that the allegation of Oswal's trying to strike a deal with the banned ULFA was 'absolutely false' and she was not in favour of a judicial probe to go into the allegation. Earlier, in her address to the mediapersons, Swaraj had said that the BJP was committed to curb terrorism and hence the people of the state should rally behind the BJP. She also said that the BJP high command has not received any request from the state unit of the party in favour of the inclusion of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) into the NDA. Without such a request from the party state unit the BJP high command is unlikely to favour the AGP's inclusion into the NDA, she said emphatically. Commenting on the prospect of the BJP candidate for the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat Bimal Oswal, Swaraj said that BJP was all set to win the Dhubri seat. When asked for her comments on the Congress reaction to the CBI naming late Rajiv Gandhi in its chargesheet in the case releated to the Bofors gun scam, Swaraj said that the Congress had no moral right to describe the CBI charge sheet as a political joke. Reasoning, she said, Sonia Gandhi is on record that if she (Sonia Gandhi) comes to power, she will see to it that the Bofors investigation is completed. While answering to another question, Swaraj said that naming of a dead person (here Rajiv Gandhi) in an embezzlement case is not contrary to law. As, she said, the money embezzled by the legal heirs of deceased so named, can be recovered if the findings can substantiate that the deceased person had in fact embezzled the money. Law is very much clear on this point, Swaraj, also a Supreme Court of India lawyer, said. The function was conducted over by former president of the Editors' Guild of India Dhirendra Nath Bezboruah. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 26, 1999)

BILASIPARA, October 25: Different Koch-Rajbongshi organisations in Dhubri district strongly protested against the "BJP-ABSU secret pact" to debar the Koch-Rajbongshis from being included in the Scheduled Tribes list. Several Koch-Rajbongshi leaders alleged that the Asam state Committee of the BJP and the ABSU had entered into an agreement that if the BJP candidates of Dhubri parliamentary constituency gets elected with the help of the ABSU, then the BJP government will create a separate state of Bodoland, re-include the non-Bodo villages in the BAC area and debar the Koch-Rajbongshis from being included in the list of the ST as was done previously by an ordinance. The Koch-Rajbongshi leaders alleged that an 18-point agreement, made secretly is aimed at forfeiting the constitutional rights of the Koch-Rajbongshis living in the BAC area. They demanded at the BJP to publish the clauses of the pact immediately. However, the BJP leader, Sushma Swaraj, during her visit to Bilasipara on Sunday last strongly refuted it saying no such pact was made with the ABSU. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 26, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 26: The general house of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today reconstituted its planning committee with Prabin Sarma as the convener, to advise the party and the state government on political and economic matters. Other members of the committee are Arun Sarma, MP, Deva Kuamr Bora, Sarbananda Sonowal, Gunin Hazarika, Thaneswar Boro, and Kamakhya Charan Choudhury. - Staff Reporter (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 27, 1999)

SHILLONG, October 26: Twelve days after being "kicked out" of the ruling coalition in Meghalaya by the United Democratic Party (UDP), the Congress has finally come out of the shock to formally declare its decision to "dissociate itself from the Congress-UDP combined Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum coalition government headed by BB Lyngdoh." In a two-page open letter to the Chief Minister, BB Lyngdoh, released to the press here last evening, former deputy Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party leader, DD Lapang, said that he was deeply perturbed and greatly humiliated by Lyngdoh's 'unilateral' decision of snapping ties with the Congress. This was "in direct contravention of the agreement and without the minimum courtesy shown," the letter alleged. Lapang said, "I am sending you the open letter to set the record straight and drive home to you certain home-truths, however unpalatable." He reminded Lyngdoh that the Congress joined hands with the UDP as an equal partner in mutual trust and understanding in the midst of political uncertainty and instability in the state. Lapang also recalled that despite the contradictions inherent in a coalition government and the ideological differences between the two partners, "our unique experiment under your stewardship never suffered from major hiccups over the last 13 months except for a jolt received by the breaking away from the Congress camp of the Nationalist Congress Party." The Congress leader claimed that the Congress with 16 members still had the working number to ensure the stability of the coalition till the end of the term. "The coalition while it lasted had absolutely no such contentious issues as to have precipitated the process of disintegration," he contended. Rejecting the argument of the UDP that the coalition with the Congress led to the "drubbing" of the former's candidate in the Lok Sabha polls, he described the UDP postulation as "inconsistent with the spirit of the agreement and the actual ground realities." "At the worst, the hullabaloo raised over the issue is a mere political ruse, an eyewash and an exercise in political chicanery and expediency with the sole aim of subverting the consensual agreement," Lapang charged. Accusing the UDP with lacking a full commitment to the serious cause of governance, the open letter said "the CLP holds the UDP leadership singly responsible for systematically destabilising every successive government in the state at its own whims." Concluding, the letter said that the party in the days to come will devote its time and energy to the developmental activities by assuming the role of a responsible and constructive opposition in the Assembly. (Special Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 27, 1999)

NEW DELHI, October 25: The ruling CPI(M) tightened its grip in its Northeastern citadel of Tripura registering a positive swing of 6.44 per cent to retain both Lok Sabha seats, as the Trinamool Congress-BJP combine netted 27.28 per cent of votes to dismiss Congress from its niche of main Opposition in the state. The Marxists received 56.24 per cent of the votes against 48.80 in 1998 to bag both Tripura West and Tripura East seats for the third consecutive time. Congress, which lost both seats to CPI(M) in 1996, saw its voteshare nosedive to 13.88 per cent from 42.17 in 1998. Worse, it fell from the position of an alternative force in the state with Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress netting 14.46 per cent of votes. Its poll ally BJP got 12.82 per cent. Trinamool Congress nominee Sudhir Ranjan Mazumdar finished second in East Tripura while BJP candidate Jishnu Debbarma took second spot in West Tripura (ST) constituency. Between 1984 to 1996 Congress had held both seats for 12 years. In 1991 it scaled new heights by pocketing 82.83 per cent of votes after CPI(M) withdrew from the contest at the last minute alleging massive rigging. The erosion in the Congress before the elections, with former Chief Minister Sudhir Ranjan Mazumdar defecting from the party and joining Trinamool, adversely affected the party. Former state home minister and CPI(M) candidate Samar Choudhury trounced his nearest Trinamool Congress rival and former Chief Minister Mazumdar by 2,08,081 votes to retain his West Tripura seat. Former Agriculture minister Bajuban Reang defeated BJP candidate Jishnu Debbarma by 1,50,500 votes. The Shantibazar assembly seat, which fell vacant due to the death of former Jail minister Durbajoy Reang (CPI), was also won by its nominee Balaram Reang defeating his nearest Tripura Upajati Juba Samity (TUJS) rival Gourishankar Reang, former deputy speaker of Tripura assembly by 7,605 votes. Even in the Shantibazar assembly seat, Tripura Upajati Juba Samity which snapped its 14-year-old alliance with the Congress to enter into a pact with the BJP came second. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 27, 1999)

BILASIPARA, October 26: An election meeting of the Congress attended by the APCC president Tarun Gogoi had to be abandoned following a group clash that occurred between party workers and supporters of rebel Congress leader and Independent candidate Afzalur Rahman. The security forces had to intervene to control the situation. It has been alleged that when the Congress election meeting was in progress, in which apart from Gogoi, Silvious Condpan, Pawan Singh Ghatowar and other leaders were present, the supporters of Afzazur Rahman disturbed them. As both the meetings were arranged in two corners of the public field here, sloganeering and counter-sloganeering started. Suddenly the Congress supporters attacked the dais occupied by Afzalur Rahman and damaged the mike set. At that time Rahman was on the dais. Sensing trouble, Gogoi and the others left the place, abandoning the meeting. Rahman lodged an FIR with Bilasipara police station. Police sources said that investigation was on. Report refuted: Prasanta Kumar Baruah, MLA of Bilasipara East in a release has refuted a news item which appeared in a section of the press (not The Assam Tribune) stating that at a public meeting held at Hakama, Bilasipara he had appealed to the voters to vote for the BJP instead of the Congress if they do not like to vote for the AGP backed CPI candidate. Baruah said that he never attended any public meeting of Hakama and never pleaded with anyone to vote for the BJP candidate. The news is false and politically motivated to malign his political career as an AGP MLA, he said. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 27, 1999)

SHILLONG, October 27: Seven days after losing its stake in the Meghalaya government, the Congress suffered another setback when its seven-month-old alliance with the United Democratic Party (UDP) in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council came to an end today. Chief executive member Walter David Lyngwi of the Congress had no option but to resign from his post after his UDP colleagues endorsed a no-confidence motion tabled by the lone Nationalist Congress Party member in the council yesterday. The Congress has nine members in the council, while the UDP and the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) have 11 and three members respectively. The rest of the 30-member council comprises representatives of smaller parties and some Independents. Lyngwi said the no-confidence motion against him was a corollary to the disintegration of the Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum. He said the executive committee of the Khasi council duly fulfilled its responsibilities under his leadership. Council chairman Bindo M. Lanong is tipped to lead the new executive committee, which is expected to comprise representatives of the UDP, the HSPDP, the NCP, the People's Democratic Movement and a few Independents. Rebel attack: The Meghalaya People's Liberation Front, a new militant outfit, ambushed a police team in the East Garo Hills district on Monday, according to a delayed report received here. The police team retaliated immediately, forcing the group of seven rebels to flee. They left behind a .303 rifle, which is believed to be one of the three weapons snatched from a police team during a militant attack last month. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 28, 1999)

DHUBRI, October 27: Dhubri district unit of the United People's Party of Assam (UPPA), one of the partners of the four-party AGP-led alliance, merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday last. The joining took place at the district BJP office at Dhubri in presence of Hamidur Rahman, a member of the state BJP Minority Cell who was here to campaign for the BJP candidate for the Lok Sabha poll on October 28. Rahman, in his short welcome speech, termed the step taken by Dhubri district UPPA as a valiant one. Branding the Congress party as pseudo-secular, Rahman alleged the Congress is more communal than any other party. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 28, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 28: A delegation of the All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) and the Bodo Peoples Action Committee (BPAC) today met the Union home ministry, LK Advani, and urged upon him to initiate political dialogue for the solution of the Bodoland issue. The ABSU president Urkhan Gwra Brahma told this correspondent over telephone from New Delhi this evening that as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) now enjoys comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha, it would not be a problem for the Vajpayee government to take a clear-cut decision on the Bodoland issue. The ABSU and the BPAC have also expressed resentment over the fact that the Bodoland issue was not mentioned by the President in his speech in Parliament. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 29, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 28: Over 60 per cent of the Naga-dominated electorate in Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency today cast their ballots amid heavy security. A large number of Naga voters thronged the booths since early morning braving the poll boycott call by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah). Repolling was also held in 176 booths in the Naga-dominated Senapati and Tamenglong districts. No untoward incident was reported from any part of the state. Despite reports of largescale rigging, the Naga-inhabited areas in Senapati district recorded 87 per cent polling. Heavy deployment of security forces prevented the NSCN(IM) militants from going ahead with their plan of subverting the poll process. Sources said repolling was held under the heaviest-ever deployment of security forces in the two districts. Despite the NSCN(IM) threat, Naga voters turned out in large numbers to take part in the repoll. The NSCN(IM) had directed the Nagas not to take part in the "Indian elections." Repolling was ordered following largescale disruption of polls by the NSCN(IM) militants on October 4. State chief electoral officer (CEO), DS Poonia told The Telegraph this evening that the percentage of polling might go up as reports from booths in the interior areas were yet to come in. Repolling was peaceful barring a stray incident at Sugunu, he added. According to state election officials, Janata Dal (United) candidate Kim Gangte and her supporters snatched 260 ballot papers in Sugunu (Tribal) and Sugunu Lamhang polling stations and tore them up. Two separate cases have been registered at the Chandel police station against her. Gangte, however, denied the charge and said the ballot papers were torn in a scuffle between her supporters and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) workers. She alleged that the presiding officers of the two polling booths had allowed rigging by Kuki militants in favour of NCP candidate Holkhomang Haokip. Poonia said the three Indian Air Force helicopters will start transporting the ballot boxes from the hill districts to the state capital for counting tomorrow. The lone polling booth at Phungyar's Lairam Khullen in Ukhrul district recorded nil polling. (Oinam Sunil; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 29, 1999)

NEW DELHI, October 28: Bodo leaders have taken strong exception to lack of any reference to their long-pending demand for separate statehood for Bodoland in the President's address to the joint session of Parliament, a top All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) leader said here yesterday, reports PTI. "We were surprised to see that there was no mention of Bodoland in the list of proposals to create new states in the President's address," ABSU President UG Brahma told PTI here. "The BJP leadership had assured us umpteen times about taking steps to create the state of Bodoland and Defence Minister George Fernandes was asked to look into the issue," he claimed, adding, "In fact, the demand for statehood by Bodos is one of the oldest and Centre cannot just ignore it." "To ventilate our grievances, a high-level delegation, led by Lok Sabha MP SK Bwiswmuthiary and comprising the state legislators, students' leaders, members of Bodo People's Action Committee, would call on Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, home minister LK Advani and Fernandes," he said. The delegation, also comprising two Assam MLAs Hemendranath Brahma and Pramila Brahma and representatives of Bengali and Nepali students orgaisations in the state and religious minority community, would stress on the three-point charter of issues with the Central leaders Brahma said. These include taking steps for granting statehood to Bodoland, recognition of Bodos as Scheduled Tribe in Karbi Anglong District Council an immediate setting up of Autonomous District Council for tribals along the southern bank of the river Brahmaputra. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 29, 1999)

SILCHAR, October 29: Tension has gripped the Kalahaor-Mohonpur area under Dholai block of South Assam's Cachar district after tribal Hindus set fire to three houses belonging to Christian families earlier this week. Three persons were arrested and a police picket set up in the area to avert a backlash. All police stations in the district were also put on maximum alert. Cachar superintendent of police Mukesh Agarwal today said a clash did take place in the area, but denied that a church in Kalahaor village, about 30 km from this town, was set ablaze. Sources said the clash was triggered by the alleged conversion of seven Hindu tribal families recently. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 30, 1999)

SHILLONG, October 29: National Congress Party (NCP) leader and member of the Meghalaya legislative assembly Methrona R Marak was yesterday sworn in as the parliamentary secretary of the state, reports PTI. Chief Minister Brington Buhai Lyngdoh administered the oath of office and secrecy at a simple function held at the main secretariat hall here. state home minister, Thrang Hok Rangad, minister for Planning and Co-operation and NCP president Lot Sing A Sangma, minister for PWD and Power, Martle Mukhim, minister for Soil Conservation ED Marak, minister for Community and Rural Development ON Chyrmang, and minister for Transport and Election M Rava were also present at the swearing-in ceremony. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 30, 1999)

SHILLONG, October 30: Meghalaya Chief Minister BB Lyngdoh's leadership has once again come under a cloud. As this has happened within days of the swearing in of the new four-party coalition, the third government to be headed by Lyngdoh in 18 months, speculation about the stability of the new coalition is rife. As soon as the new combine of the United Democratic Party (UDP), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) and the BJP was sworn in, Lyngdoh landed in trouble with a section of his ministers for staying a reshuffle of senior bureaucrats. He had effected the reshuffle just before the fall of the UDP-Congress government. State ministers seem to be in the dark as to why the reshuffle was selectively stayed. This has created a sense of uneasiness in the council of ministers as to who is calling the shots in the new government and what exactly is the decision-making process. In the earlier Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum (MPF) government of the UDP and the Congress, all the major decisions were taken by a co-ordination committee. "Now we do not have anything like that, everything depends on the Chief Minister," a minister said. Senior Cabinet ministers and members of Lyngdoh's own party, the UDP, said they were afraid that "others" are influencing the Chief Minister in such matters. "There is no misunderstanding with the Chief Minister, but we are trying to request him to take us into confidence," said senior Cabinet minister Mihsalan Suchiang. He added there are certain issues on which "drastic action" needs to be taken. However, he did not reveal what those issues were. These and other matters, like setting up a co-ordination committee for taking decisions on sensitive issues and entry of more MLAs into the new coalition, were to be discussed at a meeting of the Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum (MPF) yesterday. But it had to be postponed as the 77-year-old Chief Minister was indisposed. A crucial first Cabinet meeting was also postponed. Lyngdoh's health is the subject of considerable political speculation as the UDP is yet to throw up a second-in-command capable of holding the flock together. HSPDP split: Maysalin War, who represents Mawthengkut constituency of West Khasi Hills district, has asked the Speaker to recognise her split group of the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP). War has written to Speaker EK Mawlong seeking official recognition. In an earlier attempt to split the HSPDP, Mawlong had suspended War's voting rights during a crucial no confidence motion a few months ago. Mawlong had refused to recognise War's claims on technical grounds. War had wanted to join the Congress at that time. This time, however, War claimed she had the support of one-third of the party both inside and outside the House. The HSPDP has three MLAs and War on her own makes the required one-third. (Linda C; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 31, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 30: The Nipamacha Singh-led government in Manipur has decided to pay an ad hoc bonus to its employees before the Ningol festival despite the acute funds crunch and the ongoing austerity drive. The move is aimed at wooing the state government employees on the eve of the Assembly polls slated for early next year. Chief Election Commissioner MS Gill yesterday said in New Delhi that Assembly polls in Bihar, Orissa and Manipur would be held before March 31 next year. Non-payment of bonus before the state's biggest festival would have antagonised the 75,000 state government employees. An order to this effect issued by the state finance department yesterday, however, excluded the corporation and autonomous body employees. The state government asked the corporations and the autonomous bodies to arrange for bonus from their own budgets. The government's move comes close on the heels of a recent ban imposed on fresh appointments, post creation and post-upgradation. The government has also launched an austerity drive to slash expenditure. The state is currently facing a liquidity crunch with overdrafts crossing Rs 120 crore. The Cabinet has decided to cut down expenditure on ministerial and official tours outside the state. Ministers and bureaucrats have been asked to seek prior permission of the chief secretary before important official meetings. The ceiling for outstation telephone calls by ministers have also been reduced. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 31, 1999)