GUWAHATI, February 1: At least two of the partners in the ruling alliance are sore with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) over its failure to initiate steps to hold panchayat election in Assam. Veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) leader and a legislator of the state, Hemen Das sounds very annoyed over inordinate delay in holding election to panchayats since 1997 when the term of earlier elected bodies ended. Das said, "It is very unfortunate that the AGP-led government has failed to facilitate election to these local bodies so far." Another alliance partner CPI is also planning to mount pressure on the state government to hold election to panchayat during September-October next. The state CPI secretary, Munin Mahanta today informed that the party’s executive which is scheduled to meet this month, would take up the issue and chalk out strategy to pressurise the government to hold panchayat polls without further delay. (Bijoy Sankar Bora; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 2, 2000)

AGARTALA. February 2: Tripura’s rural development minister Ananta Paul was virtually sacked from the state cabinet last night following a ‘sex scandal’. Official sources told newspersons here today that Paul was asked to resign from the ministry for his ‘anti-party activities’. He was also suspended from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for six months on the same ground, party sources said. The sources said that Governor Siddheswar Prasad accepted Paul’s resignation following the recommendation of chief minister Manik Sarkar. CPI(M) sources said 52-year-old Paul, who was already married and had two sons, was forced to marry his maid servant on last Sunday. The maid servant, who was working in the official residence of Paul, became pregnant and the matter came to light recently. Following the public pressure, Paul was forced to marry the twenty-year-old girl. The CPI(M) leader was elected to the Assembly from the Fatikroy constituency in North Tripura. With the resignation of Paul the strength of Left Front ministry has been reduced to 16. (UNI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 3, 2000)

AGARTALA, February 4: Veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislator Bidhu Bhusan Malakar was sworn in as a cabinet minister in Tripura on Friday, raising the strength of the CPI(M)-Led Left Front ministry to 17. Governor Siddheswar Prasad administered the oath of office and secrecy to Malakar. Official sources said the Left Front ministry was expanded to accommodate representation from North Tripura’s Kailashahar sub-division. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 5, 2000)

IMPHAL, February 5: Failure to come to an understanding over seat sharing between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) in the ensuing Assembly polls may result in the MSCP nominee in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre, Union youth affairs and sports minister Thounaojam Chaoba Singh losing his ministerial job. Chaoba Singh was inducted into the Union ministry after the MSCP extended support to the BJP-led government at the Centre. Now with both the parties, BJP and MSCP unable to arrive at an electoral understanding for the ensuing Assembly polls the national secretary of BJP in-charge of the border states told media persons that Chaoba Singh should tender resignation on moral grounds. However to this Singh said that there is no question of submitting his resignation as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had been formed at the national level and there has been no proposal to extend it to the state level. (Sobhapati Samom; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 6, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 7 — The United Peoples’ Party of Assam (UPPA) has demanded amendment of the constitution to provide Article 370 status for Assam to safeguard the socio-economic and political interests of the people of the state besides other provisions like double citizenship and the inner-line permit system. The party has also sought reservation of seats for the indigenous people in Parliament, the Legislative Assembly and Panchayat bodies. In a press statement today, UPPA spokesman and secretary general, Syed Gulam Akbar informed that the demands were made during the executive committee meeting of the party held on Sunday to discuss the proposed amendment of the constitution and other "important matters". The UPPA is a partner in the ruling coalition in the state led by the AGP. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 8, 2000)

NEW DELHI, February 8: The Assam government today upholding the Gauhati High Court’s dismissal of a writ petition challenging the state Governor’s verdict on the Letter of Credit scam, questioned Nabin Kalita’s bona fide. The state government’s views were part of an affidavit filed with the Supreme Court here today, in response to a petition filed by Nabin Kalita challenging High Court’s order. The state government’s petition was filed by its counsel Vijay Hansaria. The case is now coming up for hearing for admission on February 14. While chief minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who was also named as a respondent has already filed his reply, the CBI is likely to file its reply within the week itself. (Staff Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 9, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 8: About 2000 grassroots level workers of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) under the leadership of former PWD minister, Atul Bora and former state Assembly speaker, Pulakesh Barua today revolted against the party leadership and floated — Trinamool Gana Parishad (TGP). The leaders, however said that this is a political platform to dislodge Prafulla Kumar Mahanta from power. The party was constituted at a state level convention held at Rabindra Bhawan here and it was attended by the rebel AGP workers from all parts of the state. The TGP has constituted a 19-member committee with Pulakesh Barua as the president and Atul Bora as the general secretary. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 9, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 9: The Governor of Assam, Lt Gen (Retd) SK Sinha, today denied any link with RSS as alleged in a section of the Press quoting Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Tarun Gogoi. A Press release issued from Raj Bhawan in this regard stated that it was unfortunate that state president of a major political party had issued press statement alleging that the Governor had been a BJP candidate in a parliamentary election and had RSS link. The Raj Bhawan communiqué clarified that, "the Governor has never been a member of any political party. He contested parliamentary election from Patna in 1984 as an Independent candidate, supported by all then Opposition parties excluding the Communist parties. He has never had any link with RSS and the question of his using the Raj Bhawan for promoting RSS activity does not arise." It was further stated that, "anyone making such false, baseless and irresponsible accusation against the head of the state only shows his scant respect for the constitution and for political, moral values." (The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 10, 2000)

NEW DELHI, February 9: Snapping of ties between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) has landed minister of state for sports and youth welfare, Chaoba Singh in a peculiar situation, with the BJP now likely to press for his resignation from the council of ministers. Although Chaoba Singh’s resignation from the Vajpayee’s council of ministers was a foregone conclusion in the wake of the sudden turn of events in Manipur, the MSCP’s sole representative clearly unwilling to quit has been dilly dallying the issue to the discomfiture of the BJP’s central leadership here. But now the BJP has apparently run out of patience with the party general secretary in charge for the Northeast, PB Acharya admitting that it was not proper on part of the Chaoba Singh to have continued. (Kalyan Barooah; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 10, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 9: Keeping an eye on the next Assembly elections due in March, 2001, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has launched a massive membership drive among the tea tribes who constitute about 35 per cent of total voters in the state and play an influential role in most of the Brahmaputra Valley Assembly segments during elections. According to a BJP source here, the party kicked off the membership drive on January 1 last and it will terminate on February 15 next. Special emphasis is being given on wooing tea workers in the Lok Sabha segments of Kaliabor, Jorhat and Dibrugarh in the tea heartland of upper Assam. In the last Lok Sabha elections, BJP could swing sizeable tea workers’ votes in its favour in Jorhat and Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituencies giving tough fight to Congress in its traditional bastions. The Congress candidates managed to win both Jorhat and Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seats with substantially reduced margin in comparison to earlier polls in 1998. (Bijay Sankar Bora; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 10, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 10: The Dispur police last night arrested Bhabananda Lal Das, general secretary of Nalbari district Congress unit along with his personal security officer Umakanta Das on charges of attempted rape of a married woman at Hengrabari locality. Sources informed that the arrested duo along with the driver forcibly entered the house of the victim and tried to rape her at about 8 last night. Following a complaint in this regard both of them were rounded up and remanded to judicial custody today. The driver of the accused managed to escape. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 11, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 10: — The ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has suspended former Assam Assembly Speaker and a senior party MLA, Pulakesh Barua for indulging in anti-party activity. The decision toward this end was taken in the party steering committee meeting held yesterday. Party spokesman and former Union minister, Birendra Prasad Baishya said that action against Barua was taken for raising a banner of revolt against the party leadership by floating a new political ‘platform’ called Trinamool Gana Parishad. About 2,000 grassroots AGP workers under the leadership of Pulakesh Barua and suspended MLA and former PWD minister, Atul Bora floated Trinamool Gana Parishad (TGP) on Tuesday last. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 11, 2000)

IMPHAL, February 10: Nationalist Congress Party general secretary PA Sangma on Thursday said he and his wife had a miraculous escape when their rest house was "attacked" by Assam Rifles personnel who mistook them for armed extremists at Moreh in Manipur's Chandel district Tuesday night. Sangma, who has been campaigning for his party candidates in Manipur, was camping at Moreh rest house at the time of the incident at around 10 pm on Tuesday. The defence release said the Assam Rifles personnel, while patrolling the area, noticed a few armed persons, who were in fact the security officers dressed in civil clothes and challenged them. Both sides then took positions and an exchange of fire took place for a few minutes before both parties realised their mistake and stopped firing, the release added. Talking to PTI here, Sangma said he and his wife did not stay at the room booked earlier, adding had he stayed in that room, he and his wife would have been killed. He said the room booked earlier was attacked by Assam Rifles personnel who mistook Sangma's security guards as armed extremists and opened fire at them. ``I have no personal grudge against anybody. I am innocent. I know it was not a personal attack but my wife and I had miraculous escape,'' the former Lok Sabha speaker said before leaving for Guwahati. Sangma said the Assam Rifles commandant deployed at Moreh had talked to him and apologised. Sangma said he had told them not to make such a mistake in future. Commander of Sangma's security escort, Mani Singh, said the Assam Rifles personnel opened fire at the rest house where Sangma was staying. He said the security guards were at the rest house complex when more than 25 shots were fired at the security guards. They later recovered 12 to 15 spent bullets from the area. Singh said security guards too returned fire but at that time, the Assam Rifles personnel realised that the incident took place all because of `mistaken identity'. He said the Assam Rifles commandant came to the resthouse and asked the security guards not to get angry. Mani said two security guards belonging to Manipur Rifles suffered minor bullet injuries on their hands and were given first aid. One self-loading rifle was destroyed by the bullets and a vehicle parked nearby was partly damaged. The Moreh police personnel came at 10 pm on Tuesday to investigate into the incident, he said, adding that he would file a case in this connection with police though he had been asked by Assam Rifles personnel not to do so. (PTI; The Indian Express; New Delhi; February 11, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 9: Efforts are on to form a common platform of all the Bodo political parties and organisations to launch a fresh movement for the creation of a separate state of Bodoland, said the president of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), Urkhau Gwra Brahma. Talking to this reports, Brahma said that the first round of meeting between the ABSU and the Peoples’ Democratic Front (PDF) was held on January 29, in which a decision to hold a joint mass rally at the Judges’ Field on March 2, was taken. He said that in the meeting, the ABSU mooted a proposal that the existing Bodo political parties should be dissolved to form the common platform and the next meeting between the Bodo parties and organisations will be held on February 21. He also disclosed that the next annual conference of the ABSU will be held at Simin Chapori in Dhemaji district from February 14 to 16, where the ABSU will chalk out its future course of action. Meanwhile, the ABSU has decided to boycott the ensuing seminar on the economic development of the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC), organised by the Union Home ministry at Udalguri in Darrang district on February 10. Brahma said that there is no point holding seminars on the economic development of the BAC area till an amicable solution to the Bodoland issue is found. He said that last year a similar seminar was held in Kokrajhar district but that failed to yield any result. The ABSU reiterated its demand for a fresh political dialogue on the Bodoland issue and said that instead of holding seminars, the government of India must come forward to find a permanent and long-lasting solution to the Bodoland problem. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 11, 2000)

GUWAHATI , February 11: After making preliminary investigation way back in 1998 into the alleged irregularities in distribution of central quota of wheat in the state, the central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has found itself in a fix to continue further probe into the case because of certain legal impediments. According to an official source, the CBI is empowered to conduct a full-scale suo motu investigation into only those irregularities where central government organisations or officials are involved. But in case of alleged wheat scandal in the state no central government organisation is involved so that the CBI can take up the case suo motu. Though the central quota of wheat was released through the Food Corporation of India, (FCI), which is a government of India undertaking, preliminary investigation revealed non-involvement of FCI officials in the alleged irregularities. As a result, the CBI now cannot proceed with the case further though there is ground to suspect that there had been large-scale irregularities in distribution of wheat in public distribution system in the state. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 12, 2000)

AIZAWL, February 11: Lalramliana Colney, candidate of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), has won the by-election to Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) held at the southern Lawngtlai on Wednesday. Lianthangpuii deputy secretary of the state District Council Affairs department told PTI that Lalramliana, president of the Lawngtlai MNF divisional headquarters bagged 701 votes out of 1,420 valid votes. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 13, 2000)

DIPHU, February 12: A 61-hour ‘Karbi Anglong district bandh’ has been called by United People’s Democratic Solidarity from February 19 demanding commissioning of a judicial inquiry to probe an incident of rape. A press release of the UPDS comprising the Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi People’s Front (KNF) here on Wednesday stated the bandh has been called to urge the Assam government to institute an inquiry to probe the alleged rape of a 19-year-old girl on November 13 last allegedly "masterminded by a CPIML MP." The bandh, beginning from 0500 hrs of February 19, would continue up to 1800 hours of February 21, the release said. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 13, 2000)

TEZPUR, February 13: Former Assam industry minister Bijit Saikia, former MP, Swaroop Uphadhyaya and other senior Congress leaders, including 3000 Congress workers of Sonitpur District Congress Committee who resigned from the party on January 27 protesting expulsion of two senior leaders today formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Hem Barua Hall here in presence of Ram Prasad Sarma, chairman Planning and Development Cell BJP unit, Assam. (The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 14, 2000)