[Assam] Solid undertaking of constitutional amendments to accommodate a Sovereign Assam, NEEDED NOW.

[Bartta Bistar]

*Congress vows to end insurgency in Assam*

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http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=77834&version=1&template_id=40&parent_id=22
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Published: Tuesday, 21 March, 2006, 09:12 AM Doha Time

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*GUWAHATI:* The ruling Congress Party yesterday said a dragging insurgency
problem in the northeastern state of Assam would be resolved if it is voted
back to power in the upcoming elections.

"Already discussions are underway between the government of India and the
ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) representatives. We are sure the
positive attitude of the government of India and a second term for the
Congress in Assam, would help resolve the problem permanently," Digvijay
Singh, a senior Congress leader said here.

Assam goes to the polls to elect a 126-member legislature on April 3 and 10
with the battle lines drawn – the ruling Congress taking on the main
opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).

"We appeal to the people of Assam to give us a clear mandate. The
environment of fear that existed during the time of the AGP regime is no
longer there and we promise to bring back permanent peace," Singh, who was
formerly Madhya Pradesh chief minister, said.

He said the last five years of Congress rule in Assam had changed the
economic face of the state.

Exuding confidence that the party would be able to form the next government
on its own, Singh, however, kept options open in the event of a hung
assembly.

"We consider all the opposition political parties as a threat when we
approach the elections," he said.

"Politics is an art of the possible and we shall cross the bridge when it
comes."

A number of Congress leaders will campaign in the state to bolster the
party's poll prospects, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, party
president Sonia Gandhi and besides Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

The ULFA meanwhile has said it will maintain neutrality in the run-up to the
elections.

"The elections are nothing but yet another attempt by the Indian rulers to
establish their colonial rule in Assam," ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa
said in a statement.

The statement said there was no difference between the Congress, the AGP,
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and even the Communist Party of India
(CPI).

"Elections in Assam have produced a line of public enemies like Prafulla
Kumar Mahanta and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. If AGP leader Brindaban
Goswami becomes the next chief minister he shall become a public enemy as
well," the ULFA leader said.

The rebel group said all the parties were adopting double standards on the
insurgency problem.

"The Assam-India conflict does not figure in any of the political parties'
manifestoes and without solving this main issue how can any government
promise to be the saviours of Assam," Rajkhowa said.

The BJP in the state was meanwhile dealt amajor blow after about 50,000
workers quit, accusing the party of ignoring Christian ticket seekers for
the elections.

"There were some 10 ticket aspirants belonging to the Christian community
and the party simply rejected all of them. This is a big insult to the
Christians and so we decided to leave the party en masse," said Dewan
Rongpi, a Christian BJP leader active in eastern Assam's Karbi Anglong
district. – Indo-Asian News Service
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