IMPHAL, April 23: Delay in completion of the pre-survey work for the proposed World Bank funded Manipur road development project has caused considerable anxiety over the fate of the project. The pre-project survey, being undertaken with the Spain-based TYPSA Company as consultants, was targeted to be completed and the survey report submitted in January 2001. That target could not be met, and the World Bank was asked to allow till February 2001 for the completion of the survey work. Despite the extension, however, the survey report has still to be submitted. The proposed World Bank road...

GUWAHATI, April 23: Dissension in State Congress over selection of party nominees today took a turn for the worse when several stalwarts of the party filed nominations to contest polls as Independent candidates. However, sources in the APCC tried to play it down by saying that the party leadership would be able to persuade the rebel candidates to withdraw their nominations in the greater interest of the party. Noted among those Congressmen who have filed nomination as Independent candidates were Rashidul Haque (Rupahi), Mukut Sharma (Nagaon), Uma Phukon (Barhampur), Samsul Haque (Sarbhog)...

GUWAHATI, April 23: The regional Asom Gana Parishad today formalised poll alliance with the formidable combine of All-Bodo Students Union (ABSU) and Bodo People's Action Committee (BPAC) providing more teeth to its effort to prevent Congress from capturing power in the May 10 election. The ABSU-BPAC and AGP alliance was formalised after both the parties had signed an agreement on common minimum programme. Apparently, AGP has emerged gainer out of the poll pact as it will receive active support of the ABSU-BPAC in 26 constituencies for supporting ABSU-BPAC candidates in only nine Assembly seats...

AIZAWL, April 23: Manipur's Hmar People's Convention Democrats (HPC-D) militants said they had kidnapped four persons from Mizoram to "pressurise the state government on their demand for a separate autonomous district council inside Mizoram", reports PTI. Meanwhile, State Home Minister Tawnluia yesterday said the Government had not received any demand political or otherwise from the outfit and had also not received any appeal for talks. A man who claimed to be self-styled commander of HPC-D told a local daily,

IMPHAL, April 23: The four persons reported missing after they had been picked up by the BSF in Churachandpur district have been handed over to the police. This information was given by the Director General of Police DS Grewal to the Manipur Human Rights Commission which took up a case of the missing persons. The commission yesterday asked the DGP to find whereabouts of the four persons including a woman within 24 hours. The four persons were reportedly picked up by the BSF from Hengtam village under Singhat police station on April 14. In his report to the Commission, which was delivered today...