According to sources, Advocate General of Meghalaya Anil Sharma has advised the Governor that any group having the required majority should be invited to form the government and not necessarily the single largest party. Mr Sharma is also learnt to have told the Governor that a group which could muster the requisite strength should be invited to form the government.

Meanwhile, 30 legislators belonging to MPA will meet the Governor on Monday to show their strength and impress upon him to invite the Alliance to form the government.

Former Chief Minister EK Mawlong of UDP who is unwell would not be part of the delegation. His letter of support to MPA will be handed over to the Governor during the meeting.

Earlier, NCP leader Purno A Sangma expressed fears that if the Governor delayed in inviting MPA to form the government, it would encourage horse-trading in the State, adding MPA which had the majority of MLAs, had every right to be given a chance to form the government and not necessarily the single largest party.

At present Congress has 25 legislators but three Independent legislators from Garo Hills - Ismail Marak, Abu Taher Mondal and Limison Marak - have extended support to the Congress camp. All the three are reportedly close to Congress leader Mukul Sangma.

AICC general secretary in-charge of Meghalaya Margaret Alva will arrive in the city on Monday to hold closed door meetings with DD Lapang and all party legislators and chalk out strategies on mustering support from other parties to form a Congress-led government.

Congress sources, however, informed that the party was likely to meet the Governor on Monday over government formation with its present strength of 28 legislators and seek to prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly within ten days.

The sources further asserted a few other legislators from other parties had kept in touch with Congress and they may switch over to the Congress camp as soon as a Congress-led government was installed.

Observers say that the Governor will have to take a non-partisan decision based on the rival strength as is evident to him and as per advice of the Advocate General.

SHILLONG: Political circles were rife with rumours and speculations. Rumours are doing the rounds that smaller parties like KHNAM, HSPDP and BJP are likely to leave newly-floated Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) and support Congress to form the new government.

Though Congress is still short of the required number of 31 legislators for government formation, there were rumours that smaller parties who were part of the non-Congress alliance have been won over by Congress in its last-ditch effort to form a coalition government.

Another source said Congress had approached lone KHNAM legislator Paul Lyngdoh and offered him the ministerial post of Industry portfolio. Mr Lyngdoh, however, was learnt not to have given any assurance to Congress.

Speaking to The Shillong Times here on Sunday, Mr Lyngdoh denied rumours that he was likely to leave MPA to join a Congress-led alliance. "There is no truth at all in such rumours. I am not such kind of person who will switch sides within two days after formation of MPA," he said.

Similarly, lone BJP legislator AL Hek said he would continue to stick to MPA, adding the ideology of his party was to maintain political distance from Congress. He also said he had provided unconditional support to MPA.

TURA: Achik National Liberation Front (ANLF) 'commander-in-chief' Nobin Marak, popularly known as "Scorpion", and another member of the outfit were lynched by an angry mob for trying to extort money at Cheran village near Songsak village in East Garo Hills on Sunday.

The other ANLF cadre who was killed in the incident is yet to be identified.

Nobin, who hailed from Daram village near Resulbelpara, formed ANLF after leaving the ANVC Samanda camp along with eight others in April 2005.

In March 3 2006, during a police operation in Daram village areas, three ANLF activists were killed and two others were arrested. In the encounter, top ANLF leader Robi Marak was also killed.

In September last year, police laid an ambush in Tapa Darechekgre near Resubelpara after getting information that Nobin would be travelling on a scooter or a bike.

During vehicle checking, one of the Army officers, who stopped a Tata Mobile in which Nobin was travelling in, was seriously injured after being fired upon by the militant.

The ANLF leader also snatched the AK-47 rifle of the Army officer and fled away from the scene.

Further, in November last year, Robin was injured when police opened fire at him at Ronrong village near Bajengdoba.

In that incident, the ANLF leader left behind his AK-47 but managed to flee from the scene.

SHILLONG: NCP general secretary Purno Agitok Sangma is of the opinion that if the Governor invites Congress with 25 legislators to form the government it would amount to encouraging horse trading.

Mr Sangma pointed out that MPA with 31 legislators should be invited to form the government to prevent the possibility of horse trading.

"If money is with Congress then blessing of God is with us and this blessing would ultimately lead to our victory," Mr Sangma said while talking to reporters here on Sunday.

Reacting to a query what is the common thing among the alliance partners against Congress, the NCP leader said despite political differences, the common feature of the alliance partners was that everyone was opposed to the non-performance of Congress in the last 25 years.

"In my 90 days of election campaign in every corner of the State and going by the response of the people it seems majority of them want to see a change for the betterment of the State. However, it was the temptation to the Congress money that has overtaken this spirit," Mr Sangma said.

He said in MPA's Common Minimum Programme (CMP) special emphasis would be made on development of the agricultural sector, adding, "We are committed to giving a minimum support price on important agricultural products like broom sticks, oranges, pine apples and others."

SHILLONG: As the prospect of losing power stares in the Congress face, blame game has started in the CLP.

Despite emerging as the single largest party, many Congress legislators have expressed their discontent over the inability of the newly-elected CLP leader DD Lapang to convince UDP and other regional parties to come over in support of the party to form the government.

Party sources on Sunday said with time fast running out and the threat of the Governor calling MPA to form the government, many Congress legislators felt that Mr Lapang should have contacted the regional parties in advance to ensure their support.

Party sources, however, informed that all the regional parties, including UDP, were in favour of having an alliance with Congress, adding they had even contacted Mr Lapang who did not take it seriously as he was still hoping that the party would get a clear majority.

In the CLP meeting on Saturday, the Congress legislators had even wondered whether Mr Lapang should have again been elected as the CLP leader.

One of the Congress MLAs on condition of anonymity told The Shillong Times that majority of the regional parties were not happy with Mr Lapang, adding there was discussion on election of a new CLP leader who was acceptable to the regional parties and the name of Dr Mukul Sangma was even proposed.

The MLA also said there was a consensus among the newly-elected legislators to re-elect Mr Lapang.

As the members of Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) are intact, the Congress camp has entrusted Mukul Sangma with the task of keeping the three Independent legislators together.

Meanwhile, MPA had a get-together on Sunday evening to pledge the support of all the 31 members.

The MPA will meet the Governor on Monday morning along with all the 30 legislators (except EK Mawlong who is ailing) to provide clinching evidence of their strength.

Meanwhile, KSU has welcomed this initiative to form a non-Congress government.

Talking to The Shillong Times, KSU general secretary Hamlet Dohling said Congress had miserably failed in the last five years, adding there were more controversies rather than development.

"We hope that he newly-formed Alliance would be able to form a government that is transparent, efficient and accountable," Mr Dohling said.

However, he pointed out that the Alliance needed to come out with their programmes and policies so that the people would not be in the dark.

Speakers comprising Kharsimon Phanbuh, Mira Dkhar, while addressing the function laid stress on the importance of empowerment of women. BJP in-charge North East Chandra Shekhar emphasised on 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies. He also insisted on the Mahila Morcha to take active part in educating the 'meaning of transparency and accountability in the society'.

An official statement issued here said the poachers, who hailed from from Umthlong village (Laitarted), under Mairang Police Station, were arrested by forest guards at 4:30 pm on Saturday. They were identified as Kreit Khyllai, Headbor Nongrang, E Thangkhiew and Kedro Dohtdong.

Three SBBL guns, live 12 bore cartridges, empty cartridges, a khukri, hand axe, knife, torch lamps were seized from their possession among other items.

When due to the impact of globalization and liberalization the national boundaries are crumbling, Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, is making his presence felt in the Indian society like never before. Diageo, the world's largest liquor company has already arrived to cater to our changed preferences. Liquor is made available at any place, at any time, at any price and in any packing. Its universal appeal can be gauged by the fact that drinking has become an instant hit among the men and women, adults and children, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, ruralites and urbanites and above all law makers and breakers alike. To put it succinctly, the entire society is under the sway of alcohol. It appears that the day is not far away when alcohol with its different versions including toddy (local variety) will replace tea as the second most preferred beverage next only to water. As the culture of drinking wine has become a part of our lifestyle, its sale has registered an annual growth of 30 per cent. Though, the pernicious repercussions of alcoholism on the society are taking its own toll in a big way but it has not received the attention that it deserves.

It is against this backdrop, let me ask you: are you shocked at the recent macabre incidents of a father who under the influence of liquor burnt his two years old son alive and a tipsy lady teacher comes to the school only to collapse at the school gate to the utter astonishment of the students and their parents? The list goes on. But I am neither surprised nor disappointed by these turn of events. The issue is not about the psychology of a drunk father or a inebriated teacher. It is about the very psyche of our society on the whole. Bizarre alcoholic related incidents like these keep on making headlines on a regular basis. India should be serious about the alarming rise of incidents of alcoholism especially amongst the adolescents. Indeed, drinking has all along been the worst misfortune that has ever befallen on any nation. It has been a damned curse which is responsible for the utter ruin of many a society. If our society fails to fathom the gravity of this ominous trend of alcohol-induced barbarianism and does not try to reverse the trend then whatever remnants of civility is still left with us will be lost and lost completely. It is the writing on the wall. An introspection, therefore, is urgently due.

Our traditional wisdom has it that drinking is a social evil. Under the destructive and damaging impact of it many families have been ruined and many lives have perished. Realizing its damaging effects not only on the person who drinks to glory but also on the society at large, all the Indian reformers both social and religious, condemned this practice of drinking in unequivocal terms. Had Gandhiji and the leaders of his time been around, they would have felt dizzy and dumb at the very waft of wine that flows thick and thin in the air and cacophony of three cheers of champagne. It is a potential threat to the health and safety of the civil society. A wave of alcohol induced violence in recent times, including attacks on women, has added to a sense of crisis in our fast vanishing traditional values in the modern liberal setup. This is simply frightening.

Interestingly enough, a group of deviants and half-baked intellectuals try to impress upon and justify drinking in the name of religion and medical science. God and intoxicants make an unholy cocktail to say the least. He who believes that a particular god's libation is 'intoxicated drinks' may certainly have an element of devotion but must be completely devoid of rationality. Some irresponsible and anti-social businessmen in order to keep their wine trade flourishing, try to glorify the efficacy of drinking to the gullible customers on medical grounds. The fact is that alcohol is detrimental to both physical and mental well being. This truth is too patent to be proved by the medical experts. On physical plane, alcohol primarily damages stomach, liver, heart and nerves. Studies have demonstrated that long term consumption of alcohol could be expected to increase cancer risk, specifically breast and lung, and in the future we may see an epidemic of these. As drunkenness clouds clear thinking, the drunkard does not hesitate to commit the crimes of the rarest of the rare categories which in normal conditions, he would not have dreamt of in his wildest imagination.

Why do people take to this deadly habit of alcoholism? The most plausible reason could be that people under misconceptions or influence of bad company come under its grip. All alcoholic drinks contain the same mood changing drug - ethyl alcohol. When a person takes a few sips of intoxicated drinks, he slips out of his senses. Contrary to popular perception, drinking does not help in handling the negative feelings of stress, anxiety or frustration. Rather, it only magnifies the intensity of these feelings. In no way does it make one modern or add to one's personality or increase the sexual prowess. Unfortunately, our youths are the most vulnerable victims of these fallacious thinking. Because of these misplaced ideas, getting intoxicated is the newest rage among the youth. Now-a-days the situation has come to such a pass that for them celebrations mean drinking and frolicking only.

However, there is a silver lining in the otherwise despondent present social scenario. Authorities of the Border Security Force (BSF) have acknowledged that alcoholism not only has its adverse effects on the family life of a jawan but also ruins his health both physical and psychic. Accordingly, BSF management has decided to reduce liquor supply to its personnel. Assistance is also being sought from the Alcoholics Anonymous Service Centre for counseling the personnel on the ill-effects of alcohol. On the eve of every New Year when alcohol sales sky rocket, hooliganism also concomitantly rises. Things are becoming worse year after year. For instance, this year in Juhu, Mumbai a drunkard mob molested two NRI young women. To check these brawls by inebriated revelers, police in some parts of the country have come up with a novel idea. They are gifting toffees and candies to those who are not found upon checking on New Year's Eve. I wish others would take a leaf from the innovative moves of the BSF and police.

To this problem of alcoholism, prohibition is not the immediate answer, though the Indian National Congress, long before independence, had made it one of their basic programmes to launch a nation-wide campaign for prohibiting alcoholic drinks. Banning the manufacture and sale of alcohol not only drives liquor trade underground but also throws a good number of workers out of their source of earning livelihood. But certainly the government cannot shirk its responsibility. Merely declaring specific days as dry-days or not allowing liquor shops within the vicinity of educational institutions and the place of worships are not enough. It should immediately initiate some proactive measures to contain this menace. Government must ensure that the excise department should not allow fresh licenses for setting up of liquor outlets. Laws are to be made more stringent to deal with drunken driving; occasional random checks of breath-analyser tests of the drivers must be started to instill a fear of cancellation of licenses. Drunken driving has not been taken seriously yet, even though a recent study in the state of Kerela had shown that half of the road accidents in the state were alcohol related. If Alistair Perreira, who ran over and killed as many as seven persons and injured nine after a night out drinking gets only a six month jail term then is it not a case of travesty of justice? It is a matter of relief, to some extent, that Bombay High Court quashed the lower court order and instead sentenced Perreira to a three years imprisonment.

Bluntly speaking, to show the progressive face of India to the world and to garner a big source of its excise revenue, recently certain members of Parliament have come up with a proposal of serving liquor once again in flights. Infact serving alcohol on flights did and will spoil the serene atmosphere which makes a journey by flight enjoyable. Would these honourable MPs like to extend the same facility to the pilots and other crew members in the schema of their proposal? It is expected that the government would realise the hazardous prospectus that the proposal entails and ought not succumb to the pressure tactics of the self-serving MPs who have business interest in wine industry as well as themselves enjoy drinking. Wine may bring revenues, but not on the graves of health when it is becoming a major public health problem. Government must recognize that health-care is not only about providing medical facilities; it is also about prevention and care through various awareness programmes. So, government with the tandem of various NGOs working in this area should spread awareness against alcoholism in the similar line of drug abuse and AIDS. Seen in the correct perspective, the twin social issues of alcoholism and drug abuse do not differ in kind but only in degree.

For any social evil one cannot conveniently go on dumping the blame only on the government. It is time that we citizens wake up to this reality. If one thinks that the government and its regulatory mechanism alone can make a social reform a success, he is day-dreaming. Let us face the facts as they are; or we are running out of time. When the younger generations are at a loss to deal with life and hence the most susceptible victims of alcoholism, we parents and teachers owe an onerous responsibility to sensitise and convince them that their perverted attitude towards life is most disappointing. They are to be weaned away at any cost and nurtured in an ambience of virtues of our cultural heritage. The sooner this is done, the better it is for the nation. When Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President, is hopeful of eradication of terrorism by introducing value-based education to our youth then can I not cherish the hope that a lot of meaningful communication with our children will definitely help them to discard the pub-culture and instead accept the healthier habits of Hinglish-speaking babus whom they try to ape and imitate. And this ought to be the goal of the whole process of globalization and liberalization in the true sense of the term. Do I sound too optimistic?

(The author is the Head of the Department of Philosophy, Don Bosco College, Tura)

Having delivered an overall favourable budget with tax sops for the middle class and a debt waiver for a section of farmers – not without some misgivings - the Congress-led UPA Government has sent conflicting signals igniting electoral tensions among parties arrayed in opposition, not the least the Left with its threats to topple the ruling alliance.

The Leftists’ ire is directed against the Congress, at the head of UPA, mainly over the latter’s determination to go ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal in the next few months, responding to the deadline pressures being mounted by the Bush Administration, whatever the Government’s assurances of seeking "broadest political consensus" which has proved elusive in Parliament.

In an hazardous parallel move, the Leftists parties have also begun efforts to bring about a new "secular" political formation opposed to both Congress and BJP, which has lately energised itself to take head on the Congress-led UPA and is firing all its propaganda guns. Tactical posturing by the Congress meanwhile is aimed at getting the budget voted with Left support by May and then cross the red line as and when it decides to plunge into the controversial nuclear deal, whatever the consequences.

For India, therefore, 2008 would be politically a tumultuous year coinciding with a slowing economy, surge in inflation from globally soaring oil and food prices, and exposure to possible spill-overs from the US-led world economic downturn and financial market turmoils. Politics will overshadow the economy with what looks like the onset of the election season even if growth is maintained on a moderate pace, with all the stimulus provided by the budget for demand and investment.

The BJP-led NDA has begun to prepare for the electoral battle while possible realignments are being attempted by regional parties which came together last year to form a third front. Disenchanted with the Congress, the Left is exploring the prospects of a "Third Alternative" including parties like the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, a major constituent of UPA. BJP is getting closer to AIADMK and Ms. Jayalalithaa is already crossing swords with Chief Minister Karunanidhi.

In Tamil Nadu, a crucial state for Congress fortunes in alliance with DMK, the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) led by DMK comprising the Congress, PMK led by Dr. S. Ramadoss and CPI(M) and CPI has become a house divided against itself. While the Congress appears to have put aside its grievances against DMK for not sharing power, keeping in view the importance of DMK alliance for the Congress-led governance at the Centre, PMK, the 18-member group, has long been on a verbal duel with the Chief Minister on most issues of policy.

The latest is the rejection of PMK demand for one Rajya Sabha seat out of the five that DPA could get elected. Mr Karunanidhi decided that seat-sharing would be DMK two, Congress two and CPM one. It remained to be seen whether PMK would field a candidate in defiance and even if PMK parted company, the DMK-run Government will not lose its absolute majority as long as the Congress and the Left support it.

The timing of the Lok Sabha election is in the hands of the Congress leadership which itself is still weighing the possibilities, not being sure of its return without sufficient preparations and giving some time for its recent "inclusive growth" initiatives to work themselves out. State elections in the North will also have to be kept in view.

Meanwhile, in Karnataka under President’s rule, Mr S M Krishna, the state’s old war horse, has returned after his stint as Governor of Maharashtra. In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the only Congress-run state with a solid majority, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti has parted company and BJP is courting this regional outfit with promise of support for a separate Telengana state.

BJP with a new drive under Mr L K Advani, who leads NDA, was caught off-guard by the populist Rs.60,000 crore of debt waiver and relief in the budget. It is picking holes in the new debt-write off proposal in regard to ways of meeting the liability and yet contends that all loans of farmers from money-lenders should have been covered, a line taken by former Finance Minister Mr Yashwant Sinha who faulted the budget for not indicating the source of funding. BJP has set up a panel under him to suggest a counter-proposal more appealing to farmers, as its election gambit.

There is no doubt that the ruling dispensation took longer than necessary, while talking of a "new deal for rural India", to address "farmer distress". A National Policy for Farmers based on the recommendations of the Commission headed by Dr. M.S. Swaminathan was tabled only in November last with one of its objectives being to improve the economic viability of farming by increasing the farmers’ net income. But the period saw continuing suicides of tens of hundreds of farmers, especially in the rain-fed areas like Vidarbha.

Debt Relief to farmers was more recently thought up to burnish the party’s image and proposal to go before the Cabinet for a debt waiver of Rs.65,000 crore was duly reported in the press in the third week of January so that the Budget announcement on February 29 was predictable. But how this unfunded bonanza would be implemented, whether the banks would have to bear part or the entire burden, whether it would solve the problem of rural indebtedness or mark the end of farmers’ dependence on private lenders and suicides, and whether other farmers who had honoured the debts would not feel deprived are all questions raised in the post-budget debate.

The Finance Minister Mr Chidambaram takes the position that liquidity would be provided to banks under a system to be worked out in consultation with them and money disbursed in three tranches and that the waiver scheme would not in any way damage the credit institutions. He is likely to spell out for critics how the loss to the banking system and the burden on the exchequer would be met when he replies to the budget debate in Parliament, by cash or bonds or mix of both.

The loan waiver and debt relief scheme having been announced, the gains thereof should be consolidated by modifying the definition of small and marginal farmers in the case of rainfed, semi-arid zone farming, says Dr. M S Swaminathan, who chaired the National Commission on Agriculture. States could take steps in partnership with the private sector to help identify farmers who had taken loans from moneylenders/traders and extend assistance to release them from debt trap. Smart cards could be given to small farmers to entitle them to essential inputs like seeds and fertilisers besides technology and marketing infrastructure to improve productivity and profitability in agriculture. (IPA)

Sir,

Surprisingly the anti-incumbency factor hasn't denied the Congress party from emerging as the largest party in the just-concluded elections. Interestingly, Congress has performed better this time round increasing its tally from 222 to 25. The biggest loser is NCP after all the prediction by the ex-Lok Sabha speaker that his party would emerge as the largest party clinching almost all the seats in Garo Hills. The future of the state is now in the hands of the same parties which managed to survive the full term in the last assembly. It will be interesting for the political analyst as well as the people of the state of the event(s) that will unfold in the next couple of days. Who will become the next Chief Minister is rather trivial as compared to the challenges that lie ahead. Five more years have been added to most legislators and few fresh ones will get the taste. The new cabinet needs to take stock of the situation and needs to pull its socks together. The need of the hour is a reliable leadership with strong foresight for the future of the state. The state is marching to an unknown future, obstacles abound in plenty. The people's verdict is not so much that of change but the outcome of the elections is resonance of the people's trust and reliableness with the things as they are. Maybe the election is just a reminder that we don't need change, period, what we need strengthening of the existing institutions. The appeal to the new government is to realise this sentiment and honour it, because only by honouring the same the new government will be able bring in development, which the state desperately needs. It will help in surviving the next five-year term in office.

Yours etc.,
Phrangsngi Pyrtuh
Via e-mail

Sir,

I on behalf of the people of Police Bazar would like to congratulate Friday Lyngdoh, a person who has been kind and just to the people of his constituency, for winning the election 2008.

On the other hand the only complaint that the people of Police Bazar area have is being deprived of having a headman of choice, rather we are to face a self-elected headman for decades. People are fed-up of him.

Is it ever possible that we have our headman election or it is the son of the headman whom we are to consider our next headman? I, therefore, request the people of Police Bazar to come together to hold an election for headman and elect some one who we may rely in all our difficulties.

Does the present headman have the confidence to fight election. Well I don't think so. But all people who have been ill-treated do certainly think that time has come to remove someone who is unfit for the job. Time has come to show that only someone with reputation, but not by name, would be our next headman

Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Via e-mail

Accompanied by 33 MLAs, former Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, elected DAN Legislature Party leader earlier in the day, met Governor K Sankaranarayan at the Raj Bhavan here and claimed his alliance had a working majority to provide a stable government in the State.

Fifty-eight-year-old Rio, who returned to the assembly for fifth consecutive term from his home constituency Northern Angami-II, was elected unanimously as leader of DAN legislature party by 33 alliance MLAs, including four Independents at a resort, 15 km south of Kohima, party sources said.

The DAN increased its tally of seats to 30 on Sunday with election results of two seats in Zunheboto going in its favour when G Kaito won Satakha seat. NPF's own count increased to 26 from Saturday's 25. (PTI)

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi handed over 3,548 appointment letters to the selected candidates at the mela at the Judges' Field here.

The appointments were given under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), with Assam Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma informing that another 1,500 appointments will be made next month.

The new appointments include MBBS and Ayurvedic doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and other workers under the NRHM and are solely for rural areas.

Mr Gogoi, addressing the gathering on the occasion, said, ''Health has always received priority under our government. We are committed to provide quality health service in the urban as well as rural areas.''

He also lauded the Health Minister and his team for their initiatives in making NHRM a success in the State.

Dr Sharma, appealing to the newly appointed persons to work with dedication, said, ''All selections have been on merit basis. Our aim is to provide medical facilities to all.''

He further said that though the appointments had helped in giving employment to a large number of youths, the Government's main aim under the NHRM was not employment but quality health service.

The Health Department welcomes only those who have the zeal to serve, the Health Minister added. (UNI)

Agartala: A violent mob, allegedly supporters of defeated lone woman minister of the fifth Left Front Government Bijoy Laxmi Sinha, stormed the house of former secretary of Kamalpur, Divisional Committee in Dhalai district of Tripura on Saturday.

The incident was followed by a clash between two factions of the party workers in Kamalpur on Saturday evening in which an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police Dibendyo Chakraborty had sustained serious injuries and was shifted to Agartala Govt Medical College hospital at night.

The CPI(M) State Committee condemned the incident and ordered party level inquiry into it, party spokesperson Goutam Das said here on Sunday adding the party had also asked the administration to maintain peace in the area.

Police said a group of people stormed the house of CPI(M) leader Ranjit Ghosh and destroyed a good number of valuables alleging that Mr Ghosh was responsible for the defeat of Bijoy Laxmi Sinha.

Allegedly, Mr Ghosh and Mrs Sinha had a strained relation. Former Health Minister Bimal Sinha and his younger brother Bidyut had been killed by banned ATTF militants in 1998 and the Sinha family believed that Mr Ghosh was involved in the assassination.

However, Mrs Sinha was defeated by 135 votes in Kamalpur constitiency this election, which irked her followers who resorted to attacking Mr Ghosh’s house. Police registered a case but none was arrested so far in this connection.

Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition in outgoing Assembly Ratan Lal Nath alleged that Left Front supporters were carrying out atrocities on the Congress workers after announcement of the election results on March 7 last. (UNI)

In a statement here, Prepak said "its cadres exploded the bomb because MLAs and ministers led by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh expressed strong opposition against the revolutionary activities of insurgent organisations in the current assembly session."

The session of Manipur assembly which began from February 20 would conclude on March 12.

Official sources said six police personnel including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) have been placed under suspension in connection with the bomb explosion.

Meanwhile, many political parties in separate statements condemned the attack on Manipur Assembly and demanded strong action against the culprits. (PTI)

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday joined the citizens of Guwahati in a signature campaign by the NDTV and Sanctuary Asia to save the tiger.

Gogoi participated in the signature camp which was held at the Dighalipukhuri area here and lauded the effort of the channel to save the Indian tiger. The Chief Minister urged the people of the state to conserve the environment and protect the habitat of the wild animals so that they can survive without any difficulty.

The winner of the reality show of Zee TV's Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa Little Champs, Anamika Choudhury, who hails from Assam's Mariani town, also joined the signature campaign and sang a song on the occasion. NDTV and Sanctuary Asia has jointly launched a nation-wide campaign to save the big cat whose population has dwindled to a mere 1400 in the country, according to a recent report. (PTI)

The 12-member council will be sworn-in on Monday at Raj Bhavan here.

The CPM State Secretariat Committee also approved the names of the following ministers to be sworn-in along with the Chief Minister — Sahid Chowdhury, Joygovinda Debroy and Bijita Nath, Anil Sarkar, Badal Chowdhury, Tapan Chakraborty, Manik Dey, Jitendra Choudhury, Khagendra Jamatia and Manindra Reang.

Keshab Makjumder, Pranab Debbarma and Fayzur Rahaman were denied of ministerial berths.

Talking to reporters, the Chief Minister reiterated that the Left Front Government will continue to improve the socio-economic condition of the people. "Large-scale land reforms and poverty alleviation will get top priority," he said.

When asked the secret of Left Front's success in Tripura, Chief Minister said that the party did not give populist assurances to woo voters.

The land grabbing network was unearthed in Guwahati after the killing of a police constable inside a police barrack at Paltan Bazar area of the city recently. Police had arrested seven land brokers including some surrendered rebels.

A senior official of the city police said that the police had already made a list of persons, who would be booked soon for their involvement in the land grabbing cases in the city and adjoining areas. Some of these people also operate from out of the State. (NNN)

The Congress has won 10 seats against MNF's six seats while one seat is likely to go for a re-poll due to some alleged irregularities, sources said.

''The results of the Chakma District Council elections reflect the downfall of the ruling MNF in the entire state. Now, people have realised how corrupt the MNF has been and they denounce it with their votes. The Chakma polls predict the forthcoming state Assembly polls,'' Congress MLA Zodintluanga observed.

The previous Chakma council was headed by the MNF.

The Congress Legislature Party, which held a meeting on Sunday, appointed Kali Kumar as Chief Executive Member (CEM) and Satin Kumar as Chairman. (UNI)

Imphal: Thirty-seven year old social activist Irom Sharmila, who has been on fast unto death demanding withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 from Manipur and was released on Friday, was re-arrested on Saturday, official sources said on Sunday.

Sources said Sharmila has been on fast for seven years to press her demand and was arrested and re-arrested from time to time on charges of attempt to commit suicide.

She began her fast on November two, 2000 after Assam Rifles personnel killed 10 civilians at Macom area near Imphal Airport, sources said.

Sharmila has been in judicial custody for the last seven years and a room of the government Jawaharlal Hospital here has been converted into a jail where she is on nasal feed, sources said.

Armed Forces Special Powers Act was imposed throughout Manipur in September 1980.

Sources said hundreds of innocent civilians were killed in insurgency related incidents since 1980 and several social organisations alleged that security personnel were responsible for the death of hundreds of persons and also alleged that they tortured civilians in the name of tracking down insurgents. (PTI)

The camp belonging to the Dima Halam Daoga (Black Widow) at remote Baladisa under Langting police station of the district was busted following a tip-off but militants hiding in the camp managed to escape. The security personnel also recovered several arms and ammunition from the hideout.

In a separate incident, an ULFA militant and a linkman were arrested and a firearm recovered during a joint operation by the Army and police in Dhubri district on Sunday, official sources said here.

The militant and the linkmen, identified as Suryamohan Rai and Shafiul Rahman respectively, were apprehended from Golokgunj area of the district.

The security forces recovered a pistol from Rai's possession and Rs 10,000 from Rahman. (PTI)

Guwahati: Not just the famed one-horned rhino, but the dense forests sheltering it are also in danger in Assam, as poaching and deforestation continues unabated.

Between 2001-08, as many as 72 rhinos were poached in the state, with a staggering 18 killed in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) last year.

Four rhinos have already been poached so far this year in this World Heritage site.

In revealing information on the forest and wildlife conservation and protection measures, state Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain informed that even the dense forest area was also fast declining.

The dense forest cover in the state, as per Forest Survey of India reports, has come down from 15,548 sq km in 1997 to 12,831 sq km in 2005.

Moreover, of the total 26,748 sq km forest area in the state, as much as 3,30,000 hectares had been encroached.

With decline in forest area cover, animals have ventured into human habitat, making them more vulnerable to human attacks.

The biggest casualty by far has been the one-horned rhino, which is found only in Assam and has become an easy target of poachers in wake of adequate security measures to protect them.

The KNP, which shelters close 2,000 rhinos in the state, is ill equipped to protect its most famous inmate. The park area has risen from 430 sq km to 858 sq km, with another added 340 sq km. However, the security and management apparatus of the KNP has not risen in proportionate manner, resulting in staff shortage, a major reason for continuing poaching.

The park, staffed by about 550 people, needs close to 2,000 employees to guard it properly, besides sophisticated arms and tracking facilities.

Though the government has nabbed 143 poachers between 2001-08, the conviction rate is abysmal as the culprits take advantage of loopholes in the laws governing wildlife and make a safe acquittal.Besides the rhino, as many as 10 tigers were killed by poachers and 13 elephants between 2001-08.

On the other hand, 26 rhinos died due to floods during the same period, besides four tigers and five elephants. As per 2002 records, the state has 2006 rhinos, 264 tigers and 5246 elephants. (UNI)