Politics / Assam

NEW DELHI, April 12: The AGP-BJP alliance today claimed its first casualty with the ruling Regional Party's sitting Jonai MLA, Pradan Baruah here today joining the opposition Congress party in protest over the poll pact. The AGP MLA's induction into the Congress party came even as the party's central screening committee (CSC) today completed its preliminary sitting , clearing one-third of the candidates for the forthcoming Assembly polls. Congress party leadership here claimed that Baruah might not be the lone such case, as they have been flooded with feelers from 'disgruntled' elements...

GUWAHATI, April 12: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), president, Ashok Singhal today said unabated infiltration to Northeast region was a part of political conspiracy to change the demographic pattern in the region. Addressing a press conference here, Singhal demanded that the government should immediately defranchise the large number of illegal migrants who have infiltrated the region over the years. He, however, suggested that Hindus coming from Bangladesh should not be treated as illegal migrants but as refugees as they were forced to leave Muslim-domimated Bangladesh for declining to undergo...

GUWAHATI, April 12: Apprehensive of losing face before the elections, the Asom Gana Parishad-led government is sitting on a police report which says there is "conclusive evidence" of senior minister Rajendra Mushahary raping an 18-year-old tribal girl last year. The report was prepared by the Kokrajhar superintendent of police and submitted to the additional director-general of police (criminal investigation department) in November. The SP, who has since been replaced, named Mushahary as the "prime accused" in the case and sought permission from the state government to arrest him. He said a...

GUWAHATI, April 11: The Assam BJP had its roots shaken with reports of largescale resignations from across the state, triggered by widespread resentment over its tie-up with the Asom Gana Parishad. State BJP president Rajen Gohain - who had opposed the fledgling alliance - tried hard to prevent the party edifice from crumbling as unit after unit in various districts resigned en masse. Gohain himself threatened to quit but kept his cards close to his chest till late tonight. However, firebrand party leader Hiranya Bhattacharyya stormed out of the party along with a large section of workers at a...

GUWAHATI, April 11: A clear picture of the proposed Peoples' Front in the lines of the Lok Manch in the national level is yet to emerge. However, it is almost clear that the Left parties - CPI and the CPM will fight the ensuing polls together. Both the CPI and CPM came out of the AGP-led four party alliance after the AGP went for an electoral understanding with the BJP and now efforts are on by the Left parties to form a Peoples' Front with other like minded parties. The acting secretary of the state unit of the CPI, Bhogeswar Dutta today said that the Peoples' Front would fight both the AGP...

NEW DELHI, April 11: The Assam Congress party is all set to make corruption its central plank in the forthcoming Assembly election by high-lighting the Tehelka tapes and corruption charges against the AGP government to attack the AGP-BJP alliance. "By joining hands with the AGP, BJP has made its intentions very clear to the people of Assam that it wants to perpetuate the destructive and loot raj of Chief Minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta at any cost, alleged the APCC president, Tarun Gogoi at a press conference at the AICC head office here today. AICC general secretary in charge for Northeast...

GUWAHATI, April 11: Cracks surfaced in the State BJP leadership even as senior leader, Hiranya Bhattacharyya resigned from the party protesting the decision of the party to have poll alliance with the AGP. Bhattacharyya announced his decision to quit the party before BJP members of Nalbari district unit. He was supposed to be the BJP candidate from Nalbari LAC in the forthcoming polls. After getting the information about Bhattacharyya's decision to quit the party, State BJP president, Rajen Gohain rushed to meet him in Nalbari to try to persuade him to withdraw his resignation. However, Gohain...

NEW DELHI, April 11: In an unprecedented act, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has pulled up the Assam Government questioning its justification in allowing the Minister of State for Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes (WPT&BC), Rajendra Mushahary continue as a Minister even after being named as an accused in a rape case. Acting on a complaint filed by the victim's mother, the NHRC's scathing criticism of the Assam Government would come as a major embarrassment on the poll eve. A report was called for from the Director General of Police, Assam, which clearly named the...

GOALPARA, April 10: Koch-Rajbangshi Yuva Chatra Sanmilanee has decided not to support any particular political party but to remain neutral in the ensuing Assembly election. Disclosing this stand of the Sanmilanee in the open session of two-day national convention of the organisation held here on Saturday at Dudhnoi playground, the acting general secretary S Rajbongshi appealed to the people to give a befitting reply to the neglect and deception to the race by Assam government and Central government in the election. While expressing concern at the role of the State and Central government the...

NEW DELHI, April 10: The unprecedented act of sealing of all the lists of candidates by the AICC Central Election Observer, Jagdish Tytler, has stumped the Assam Congressmen. The sealed documents are expected to be released at the Central Screening Committee scheduled to get under way here tomorrow. When the Central Election Observer at the end of the State Election Committee (SEC) meeting asked all the members to leave behind their documents pertaining to the selection process he caught the members of the committee unawares. The list is a short-listed roll of candidates, which is normally...