Our correspondent from Guwahati: In a bid to unite all regional forces to recoup power at Dispur from Congress, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has determined to constitute a working group for unification. And they are all set to get a new president to clear the decks for the much-hyped reunification.This was decided by the party in its central executive committee meeting held at Mangaldoi on Sunday.Most of the members of the committee have come down heavily on party president Brindaban Goswami for his failure to coalesce the party with AGP (Progressive) led by former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta. The party top guns came down heavily on Goswami for his lack of efficiency and asked him to step down immediately. Mr Goswami and his loyalists further came in for sharp attack for the “alleged attempt to prevent the founder president and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta from entering into the party. Even Mr Goswami’s close associates including Sarbananda Sonowal, Padma Hazarika and Kumar Deepak Das alleged that there has been attempt to stonewall Mr Mahanta and his associates Some leaders even threatened to quit the party if Mr Goswami fails to quit the presidentship saying the sitting president is, in fact, damaging the prospect of the state’s biggest regional forces. They are of the view that due to expulsion of Mahanta before the assembly poll, the AGP has suffered a crisis due to the expulsion.The general view in the executive committee is that the party can be strengthened if Mahanta comes back to the party and takes the leadership. It was felt that Mahanta was chief minister of the state for two times and AGP can not be revived without Mahanta. Mahanta is now leading AGP (P) after his expulsion from the party having one seat in the state assembly.The members called for a general house meeting of the party for threadbare discussion on the issue of unification on July 22. The executive committee will also sit on July 21 to discuss the next course of action.In the midst of the din that rocked the executive meeting, Mr Goswami offered to quit when the party wants but supported the move to forge pact with non Congress parties to oust the Tarun Gogoi Government from the power.Meanwhile when contacted Mahanta refused to comment on the issue and said he is not interested in the internal matter of any political party. However he said all like minded regional parties should come under one umbrella for the best interests of the state and its people. Discussions are on with many regional parties for this unification, he said.
Police and forest guards arrested 6 poachers during a joint operation in and around Kaziranga National Park during the last three days. Operations were launched in the Park since the killing of a Rhino on last Sunday and six persons were arrested.A rifle was also recovered during the operation and the poachers have been remanded to judicial custody.
The Assam government and the ruling Congress on Thursday agreed to go out against the Bangladeshi immigrants. A crucial meeting of ministers, parliamentary secretaries and Congress leaders at Koinadhara decided to stand united against the immigrants who intruded into the state after 1971.
Chaired by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the meeting decided to publish a white paper on the Assam Accord implementation on October 7. The decision assumes significance in the wake of the statewide call against the Bangladeshi immigrants.
The Assam government is trying its best to foil the bandh. It further directed the employees to ensure normalcy in official functionings on Thursday. In a notification issued on Wednesday, the government asked it employees to ensure normal functioning and attendance in all government offices and undertakings in the state in view of the bandh by BJP and supported by several parties. All heads of offices and departments have been further instructed to deduct pay and allowances for unauthorized absence from offices and duties tomorrow and to initiate disciplinary action for such unauthorized absence. According to the notification, the absent employees would have to face pay cuts and the...
Normal life across the state comes to a grinding halt under the impact of the country wide bandh call in protest against FDI in retail, diesel price hike and cap on LPG cylinders. Vehicles refused to ply on the roads early in the morning when the bandh began along with others parts of the country. Schools and colleges, shops and markets are remaining closed. The bandh is total and peaceful. There is no report of any untoward incident anywhere in the state.
Dispur rolls up its sleeves to expedite the process to rehabilitate the refugees in the riot-hit BTAD areas and Dhubri. A ministerial panel met with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Dispur to discuss the steps to rehabilitate the genuine refugees. Gogoi asked the authorities the scan the land holding documents of the refugees. Scrutiny of land holding documents of the refugees is under process in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts.
Dispur on Tuesday evinced its keen interest to have a consulate to boost trade in Bangladesh. Disclosing this, an official statement sad that the issue was raised during a meeting between Indian High Commisioner to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Dispur. Gogoi asked Saran to take up the matter with concernend officials in Dhaka.
During the meeting, the chief minister briefed the Indian High Commissioner about problems related to detection and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in Assam and asked him to take up the issue with the neighbouring country's government at the diplomatic level.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi o Tuesday faced flak for supporting 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail. CPI(M) criticized him alleging it an attempt to introduce the concept in the state will affect both farmers and consumers. CPI(M) state secretary Uddhav Barman told reporters in Guwahati that Gogoi has supported Centre's decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail. But any attempt to allow foreign companies to open such shops in Assam will be detrimental. He said that Gogoi has supported the Centre's stand without going into details regarding cost-benefit analysis.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the state falls shortage of 280 MW during peak hour and a shortage of 190 MW during off-peak hours. But if everything goes as planned, there will be no power cuts in Assam in a few years time. Before that Gogoi appraised Union power minister M Veerappa Moily of the state’s state’s power situation in presence of state Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi. The projects that came up for discussion included the Lower Subansiri Hydro Power Project and Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project as well as the implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Projects.
Union Power Minister M Veerappa Moily on Monday said that he had seen no threat to UPA government after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee threatened to withdraw support if FDI decision is not given second threat.Talking to reporters in Guwahati, Moily said that FDI is a strong decision we have taken and this is going to transform the entire economic scenario.
A slew of power projects is waiting to get Central help. Dispur urged the Union Minister to ensure adequate coal supply to Margherita Thermal Power Project and gas supply for the Amguri Power Project. Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi made a presentation on the status of the various power projects in the state and its various requirements and shortcomings. The projects include Lower Subansiri Hydro Power Project, Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project and Implementation of Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Project in Tinsukia and Goalpara districts.
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