SIVASAGAR, April 9: CPI, which recently snapped ties with the AGP for its proposed alliance with the BJP, will contest 17 of the 126 Assembly constituencies in the May 10 election in the State. CPI Rajya Sabha MP Drupad Borgohain said 17 candidates had been selected. In Sivasagar district, the party would put up candidates in all the six seats, he said. He also said that sitting MLA and former Flood Control Minister Promode Gogoi would contest from Sivasagar constituency. Borgohain, however, denied that there was any alliance forged with the Congress as reported in the media.

NEW DELHI, April 9: The ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today sealed the electoral pact to fight the forthcoming Assembly polls. Under the agreement the AGP and its allies would field candidates in 92 seats, and the BJP in 44 constituencies. The significant aspect of the deal is that both the parties would have friendly contests in 10 LACs, where they reserved the right to field their own candidates. The constituencies predictably are those contentious ones on which the two parties failed to come to an agreement. The seat sharing arrangement in effect means...

GUWAHATI, April 9: Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) struck a deal today to contest the ensuing Assembly polls in the State together, the grassroots level BJP workers here continued to oppose the alliance. For the third day since Saturday, BJP workers held demonstrations inside the premises of the party's state headquarters here. Unlike the previous two days, however, the protest today was peaceful. With almost all the senior leaders away in New Delhi, the middle rung party leaders were hard-pressed in explaining why the party had to tie-up with...

NEW DELHI, April 9: The ruling AGP is likely to get a berth at the NDA Council of Ministers in the wake of the regional party formally joining the NDA fold. A hint to this affect was given by the Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani. The BJP State unit may not be too happy about the alliance but the Union Home Minister today appeared very pleased with the development saying that though the AGP has joined the NDA alliance only today, it has been cooperating with the Centre for last three years. Earlier, welcoming the AGP into the NDA fold, the Union Home Minister today left no one in doubt that the...

IMPHAL, April 8: The All Manipur Film Producers Association today urged the Manipur government to formulate a state film policy soon in order to sustain and encourage the Manipuri films and artistes. The Association today held a meeting at Hotel Excellency at 1 pm wherein various problems faced by the producers in making a film were discussed. Messrs K Ibohal, N Nilamani and MA Singh were chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively at the meeting. The meeting felt that the government of Manipur ought to encourage Manipuri films by providing financial assistance to the film...