Sangma rules out poll pact with AGP

GUWAHATI, January 20: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has ruled out possibility of having any electoral understanding with the regional AGP, Congress or BJP during the next Assembly election in the State. The general secretary of the party and former Lok Sabha Speaker, P A Sangma today informed that the NCP working committee would meet here on January 30 to discuss the political situation in the State and finalise the party's strategy for next round of Assembly polls in the State. Top ranking party functionaries including the national president, Sarad Pawar, Tariq Anwar, Devendra Dwivedi and Chagan Bhujbal will participate in the working committee meeting which will also discuss issues relating to the country as a whole. Sangma informed that on January 31 next the NCP would organise a regional rally here which would be participated by NCP workers and supporters from all the eight States of the region including Sikkim. Regarding State Assembly polls, he further said the NCP would field candidates in over 50 per cent total 126 LAC segments in the State. He said discussion revolving around electoral understanding were on with likeminded regional parties in the State, while, nothing so far had crystallised. Meanwhile, the NCP is ready with a draft manifesto to fight election in the State. Sangma informed that restoration of peace and governance was the focus of the poll manifesto having the slogan : Assam needs a change. He said the NCP believed that generation of employment held the key to restoration of peace and development in the State. For the purpose the NCP has identified floriculture, tourism and information technology sector as the most potent area. The NCP manifesto will also contain a clear cut policy for mitigation of flood problem by tapping the water resources of Brahmaputra. Regarding the problem of insurgency, the former Lok Sabha Speaker today said, "political negotiation with the militants cannot be the ultimate mean to find lasting solution to the insurgency problem because of the multiplicity of the problem". Sangma said there could not be any objection to hold talks with militants on any issue including the demand for sovereignty, but there was no question of any part of India becoming sovereign. He said solution must be confined within the four corners of the Constitution. The NCP leader, who is also in of the Constitution Review Committee, informed tat the committee would submit the report by May next year. He informed that out of the 20 expert groups formed by the Review Committee, seven had already submitted their report with "some interesting recommendations". He said the Committee while preparing recommendations would focus on more decentralisation of power to panchayat and other local bodies in the country in the true spirit of democracy.