IMPHAL, January 19: The Manipur Democratic Front has decided to boycott the all-party meeting convened by Speaker Sapam Dhananjoy tomorrow in protest against the allegedly disparaging remarks made by chief minister W. Nipamacha Singh. The meeting has been convened to discuss the possibility of resuming the winter session of the Assembly, which was adjourned sine die on December 1. Opposition leaders are still fuming over Nipamacha Singh's remark that he does not like the company of legislators from "smaller parties". The chief minister said so in defence of his decision to boycott a meeting...

NEW DELHI, January 19: At least four senior Congress leaders from the Northeast, including two from Assam, are in the race for a berth in the all-powerful Congress Working Committee (CWC). The Barak Valley strong-man and former Union Minister, Santosh Mohan Dev, former State minister Anwara Taimur from Assam, Nagaland Chief Minister SC Jamir and former Mizoram Chief Minister Lalthanhawla are lobbying to secure a nomination to the 24-member body. Absence of former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma from the scene has led to a better prospect for other senior leaders from the region to secure a...

GUWAHATI, January 19: The Oil India Limited's (OIL) decision to appoint as many as 300 unskilled workers at one go has literally opened the Pandora's box putting the public sector giant in a dilemma with several students organisations and political parties pressurising it to take in their 'hand-picked' candidates. Sources in the OIL admitted that pressure from various students' organisations was mounting even as the authorities preparing to announce the results of recruitment drive after screening about 9000 candidates from three Upper Assam districts of Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. With...

ITANAGAR, January 19: Life was affected in Arunachal Pradesh following a 12-hour bandh called by the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union on Friday, reports UNI. Shops and business establishments remained closed and all modes of private transport were off the roads. However, government-owned transport buses plied on the roads with police escort, State Transport Superintendent said. He said all long distance State transport buses left Itanagar for their respective destinations early in the morning. The services of the Vayudoot were not affected. Attendances in all State government offices...

SHILLONG, January 18: The infiltration staff of Meghalaya police have intercepted 173 foreign nationals trying to illegally enter the State through various check gates during the last two weeks. The people were all pushed back, the sources said. The foreign nationals were trying to enter the State from the check gates of Byrnihat, Ratacherra, Gasuapara, Umkiang, Khliehriat, Jamaidwar, Purakhasia and Mohendraganj, the sources added.