Politics / Assam

NEW DELHI, March 29: The Union Home Minister, L.K.Advani is meeting the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) here tomorrow to give a final shape to the Bodo agreement. The much-talked about Bodo Accord would come in the shape of a new package, highly placed sources said. The Union government officials under pressure of the Assam Government were racing against time to work out a deal with the Bodo leadership. The sudden urgency on part of the Assam Government emanated from the fear that the signing of the agreement may be delayed as the Election Commission is due to announce the poll schedule after...

GUWAHATI, March 28: With the State Assembly polls approaching, the major political parties are trying to gather the support of the non-political organisations and both the ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have sought the support of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU). Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, the AASU president Prabin Boro said that the State unit of the BJP sought the help of the AASU for the coming polls and "we had several rounds of discussion with the BJP leaders. We have categorically told the BJP leaders that if the BJP acts on the...

NEW DELHI, March 27: The move to form alliance with Atul Bora led Trinamool Gana Parishad (TGP) has triggered an infighting within the Assam State unit of the BJP. The issue has now been forwarded to Central Election Committee of the party which is meeting here on March 29. The uneasy truce that prevailed between the rival fractions belonging to State unit president, Rajen Gohain and Union Minister of State for Water Resources, Bijoya Chakraborty seems to be over following sharp differences between the camps over aligning with the TGP. Chakravorty told this newspaper that she is against...

GUWAHATI, March 27: About 200 members of families of martyrs who laid down their lives during six-year-long Assam agitation, today resorted to indefinite hunger-strike at Dispur Last Gate here demanding fulfilment of their 12-point charter of demands. Talking to The Assam Tribune, the general secretary of All Assam Martyrs Co-ordination Parishad (AAMCP), Rajen Deka informed that family members of 855 martyrs were extremely unhappy with the present AGP-led Government for its failure to take care of their interests. He informed that so far the AGP Government during its tenure could provide...

GUWAHATI, March 27: The decadal growth of population in the State between 1991 and 2001 was 18.85 per cent. In absolute numbers the growth was recorded to be 4,224,085 persons, according to the provisional population figures of the State and its 23 districts released by the Office of the Director of Census Operations, Assam for the press here today. The growth in the number of males during the decade was 2,129,810, with a percentage of 18.27 and in the number of female population, it was 2,094,275, with a growth percentage of 19.47. The State's 23 districts recorded a total population of 26...

NEW DELHI, March 26: In a significant development with wider ramifications, the Northeastern States including Assam (barring Nagaland) have shown a decline in population growth rate, according to the results of the provisional Census report 2001, released here this evening. Contrary to widespread apprehension that the population of Assam may again mark a sharp growth, it has been revealed by the Census report that population of Assam has reached 2.66 crore (26,638,407) marking a growth of 13.85 per cent. This marks a decrease in growth rate which was recorded at 24.24 per cent according to...

GUWAHATI, March 26: At a time when different quarters are demanding that the education system should be kept free from political interference, the state government has started appointing primary school teachers under the Operation Black Board (OBB) scheme with political interference and without following the norms of appointment. The process of appointing 7,000 primary school teachers for a period of one year is on but according to information available, the Government went ahead with the process despite opposition from senior bureaucrats. Official sources revealed that the decision to give...

GUWAHATI, March 26: Senior Congress leader and former minister Golok Rajbonshi breathed his last in his Beltola residence this morning. He was 77. Rajbonshi, who actively participated in the freedom struggle, was elected to the State Assembly from the Rangapara constituency in Sonitpur district for the first time in 1972. Rajbonshi was subsequently elected to the House for four terms. He was the Agriculture Minister in the Hiteswar Saikia Ministry in 1983 and served as the PWD and Higher Education Minister in the Congress ministry from 1991 to 1996. He was the Leader of the Opposition from...

GUWAHATI, March 25: Keeping aside old enmity, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) are heading for an electoral alliance. The leadership of both the parties have completed three rounds of parleys on seat sharing. Though the final picture is yet to emerge, it is learnt that ABSU has sought 18 seats. According to AGP sources ABSU is the hot favourite among the political groups this time in view of its growing strong base in several pockets of lower Assam districts. On the other hand, after the announcement of ceasefire against Bodoland Liberation Tiger (BLT), the ABSU...

GUWAHATI, March 25: The Assam State Committee of the Communist Party of India (CPI) today finally decided to stay on with the four-party alliance. The party arrived at the decision at a two-day meeting of the State executive, which was chaired by member of Parliament, Drupad Borgohain. Talking to The Assam Tribune after the meeting, senior CPI leader and State Flood Control Minister, Promode Gogoi said that the State executive of the party had a detailed discussion on the prevailing political scenario and decided to work for strengthening and expanding the existing alliance. Gogoi revealed...