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I will have a small ministry: Gogoi
GUWAHATI, May 11: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Tarun Gogoi today said that the holding of political dialogues with the militant outfits and checking of infiltration would be the two top items on the agenda of his government, if he becomes the next Chief Minister of Assam.
He said that maximum concentration on rural development, holding of panchayat elections, demarcation of boundaries of autonomous tribal bodies would be his other priorities, and made it clear that no vindictive action would be taken against any politician or bureaucrat. [S]
Voter turnout to exceed 70%
GUWAHATI, May 11: The percentage of voter turnout in yesterday's elections to the Assam Legislative Assembly is likely to exceed 70, Chief Electoral Officer Bhaskar Mushahary told The Sentinel here today. He said that since figures of voter turnout in some parts of the State were yet to come the overall percentage would shot up beyond 70. "The actual figure of poll percentage will be known only after receiving inputs from all constituencies" he said. [S]
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Photo shows police personnel on duty outside the high-security office of the Centenary Celebration Committee of Cotton College at Sudmersen Hall where ballot boxes have been kept for counting on May 13.
The Sentinel photo. |
Last-minute illegal appointments blot AGP copybook (iv)
[Continued from yesterday]
GUWAHATI, May 10 : After passing the remaining few hours of the night when the DEEO, Mr Bhaba Kanta Das was planning to proceed towards Dibrugarh the next morning (March 16), the DI, Mr Sushil Kumar Barua, his head assistant Bhanu Deori, LDA of DEEO Indra Gogoi and one H.K.Changmai arrived at the scene (at the Sivasagar circuit house). [S]
Large-scale rigging in Dharmapur
CHAMATA, May 11: It is reliably learnt that in some polling booths of No 61 Dharmapur constituency, there were reports of large-scale rigging. A local source said that the rigging was done by both AGP and Congress(I) supporters according to their dominates. The source said that the rigging was mostly done in the Muslim dominance areas. The Congress(I) rigging took place in Solmari, Bhoira, Nalana, etc., where most of the voters belong to the religious minority. The average polling in Dharmapur constituency was between 65 to 70 per cent. [S]
AGP supporters threaten scribe
GOLAGHAT, May 11: The secretary of Golaghat Press Club and a correspondent of Golaghat, Diganta Bhuyan has lodged complaint against some AGP supporters in the Golaghat police station that they had threatened to kill him on May 10. The AGP supporters accosted Mr Bhuyan in front of the Madhya Khumtai L.P. School while he was visiting the constituencies of the district with a team of journalists. The angry AGP supporters allegedly questioned him as to why he did not send more news in support of the AGP candidate and sent in support of the Congress(I) candidate alone. The incident of threatening was condemned by the president of Golaghat Press Club, Mr Keshab Saikia. [S]
Candidates fail to vote in own LACs
NAGAON, May 11: Several candidates could not cast their votes in their own constituency due to the inclusion of their names in the voters lists at their actual place of residence only. Mr Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, the Chief Minister of Assam though is a candidate from the Barhampur constituency had to cast his vote at the Mahendra Barua Primary school in Nagaon Sadar constituency. The candidate of Congress(I) from the same constituency, Ms Chitra Phukan and the candidate of dissident Congress, Uma Phukan, had to cast this at the polling booth of Ratna Kanta Barkakati High school under Nagaon Sadar LAC. Similarly the Congress(I) candidate of Nagaon Sadar constituency, Nripen Goswami could not cast his vote at Nagaon since he is a resident of Kampur under the Barhampur Assembly constituency. His name was not in the voters list of Nagaon Sadar constituency. [S]
EC orders repolling in 206 polling stations
GUWAHATI, May 11: The Election Commission
of India has ordered repolling in 206 polling
stations spread over 32 Legislative Assembly
Constituencies in the State in two phases on
May 12 and 13 following reports of rigging and
ballot snatching. [AT]
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Inside view of a strong room where electronic voting machines are being kept for counting on May 13th.
The Assam Tribune photo. |
After polls now its time for slanging
GUWAHATI, May 11: The heat and dust of the gruelling electioneering, that ended with
polling yesterday, is yet to settle down. But political parties in the State are not resting on
their oars. Instead, they have started a slanging match accusing their political rivals of
election misdemeanour. [AT]
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Tributes paid to slain security men
DEMOW, May 11: Top officials of the Assam Police, paramilitary forces, Army and district
administration today paid glowing tributes to the three jawans of the BSF and one Assam
Police man who lost their lives in yesterday's landmine attack on their vehicle while returning
after completion of poll duties from Desangpani to Sonari. The deceased have
been identified as K Rajan, Subramaniam Lal and MD Jaina and an ASI Tepuram Gogoi and the
civilian driver of the vehicle Suresh Saikia. Meanwhile the percentage of voting in the
Sivasagar, Amguri and Thowra LACs have been declared as 68.7, 77.2 and 71 per cent after
taking into account the postal ballots also. [AT]
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I am not a CM aspirant : Ghatowar
From Ron Duarah
MORAN, May 11: Assam Congress heavyweight and Dibrugarh MP, Paban Singh Ghatowar has declared that he has
never aspired to be the Chief Minister of Assam, "contradictory to speculations in the media." However, he added, "In case I want
to, I know I can garner substantial support for my candidature." Speaking to The Assam Tribune here on Tuesday, Ghatowar
said the Congress has the tradition of having the PCC president in the chair of the Chief Minister, in case the party has the
required majority in the State Legislature. Speaking with an air of optimism, he said the Congress should form the next
government at Dispur, and that Tarun Gogoi would be the State's new Chief Minister. [AT]
State voting procedure a study in contrast
GUWAHATI, May 11: It seems the recently-concluded polls to the Legislative Assembly of the State presented a judicious
interface of state-of-the-art technological development and ancient modes of facilities. Courtesy the Election Commission.
While on one hand electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used on an experimental basis in all the polling booths of four
LACs in Guwahati subdivision, the other poll materials had to be transported on elephant and horsebacks to some remote polling
booths inaccessible by road that too not very far away from the city limits. [AT]
Paid holiday on repolling days
GUWAHATI, May 11: The Government of Assam has declared May 12 as a paid holiday in the areas falling within the polling
stations under 19 numbers of LA Constituencies in Assam Valley and May 13 as a paid holiday in the areas falling under
the polling stations in 13 number of LA constituencies in the Barak Valley, states an official press release. [AT]
Dry day on repolling days
GUWAHATI, May 11: The Government of Assam has prohibited the possession of any intoxicant by any persons or
group of persons throughout the areas where repoll has been ordered from 4 am to 4 pm of May 12 in Assam Valley and 4 am
to 4 pm of May 13 in Barak Valley in view to assist the Election authorities in conducting free and fair repoll in peaceful manner,
states a press release. Further, the above mentioned dates are declared as Dry Day throughout the areas covered by repoll in
the concerned constituencies. All bonded warehouse, including club, bar, hotel etc. and country spirit shop will remain closed
during these dry days. [AT]
Live poll results, update on Net
GUWAHATI, May 11: Here is good news for all those interested in getting minute-by-minute updates on the results
of the State Assembly elections. www.vendanti.com. the web portal of the region's pioneering dot com company, SM
Computer Consultants Pvt Ltd (SMCC), will bring for net surfers worldwide, complete analyses and result updates from 11 am
onwards on May 13. [AT]
AIR broadcast
GUWAHATI, May 11: All India Radio, Guwahati will broadcast a Phone-in-Election analysis programme highlighting the latest
position of different political parties starting from 12.10 pm on May 13 to 2.00 pm on May 14, continually from time to time. A
host of senior journalists will participate in the programme. The programme can be heard on Guwahati A channel, states press
release. [AT]
Triumph of democracy
[Editorial, The Assam Tribune, May 12, 2001]
The people of Assam have again demonstrated that they refuse to be cowed down by threats of
misguided elements and terror tactics resorted to at the behest of a notorious secret agency
trying to destabilise this part of our country through devious means. By casting their votes in
large numbers even in areas very badly affected by pre-poll terrorism and defying threats of death
and destruction, they have voted overwhelmingly against insurgency and secessionist designs. [AT]
Phone-in election analysis in AIR
GUWAHATI, May 12: The All India Radio, Guwahati will broadcast a phone-in election analysis programme highlighting the latest position of different political parties starting form 12.10 p.m. on May 13 to 2 p.m. on May 14 continually from time to time, stated an AIR press release. A host of senior journalist will participate in the programme. The programme can be heard on Guwahati A channel. [S]
Distant poll booths keep voters away
NORTH JAMUGURI, May 12: Due to the myopic action taken by a section of employees in an important institution like the elections, many voters of No.74 Rangapara constituency under Sonitpur district could not exercise their franchise in the election on May 10. The voters of Eragaon, Darjipatty, Baligaon, Mahilibasti, Upar Kacharigaon, Bokagaon and Majuligaon of Balipara area had to walk a distance of six to eight kilometres to cast their votes in the constituency. As a result, a section of the voters refrained from casting their votes, it is reliably learnt. A local source said that the polling booth for the voters of Eragaon, Darjipatty, Baligaon and Mahilibasti this time was at Bokagaon Primary School instead of the nearest Balipara MV School. Similarly the polling centre for the voters of Kacharigaon, Bokagaon and Majuligaon was located at Balipara MV School at a distance of 3 to 4 km , instead of the nearest Bokagaon Primary School. The local people expect appropriate action from the district administration in this regard for future elections. [S]
CPI(M) alleges massive rigging in polls
BONGAIGAON, May 12: The CPI(M) at Bongaigaon has raised serious allegation that the district administration in connivance with the militants occupied forcibly several polling booths in different places of No.32 Bongaigaon constituency on May 10. The terror created by the extremists and widespread rigging in many polling booths compelled thousands of voters not to cast their vote for the candidate of their own choice, the allegation said. The CPI(M) candidate of Bongaigaon constituency, Mr Hareswar Das has in a written complaint stated that the administration on receiving informations about rigging in certain polling centres superficially conducted some action to prevent it, but totally failed to provide security to the genuine voters in the constituency. [S]
Abul Kalam Azad resigns from AGP
BILASIPARA, May 12: The secretary of the Raniganj Anchalik Committee of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) Mr Abul Kalam Azad has tendered his resignation from the AGP on personal ground. But, it is learnt that he did so on security reasons particularly after the gunning down of the office bearers of the same Anchalik Committee. [S]
Prediction game inspissates with every passing hour
GUWAHATI, May 12: As dust finally settled down after the pre-poll hustle and bustle, which was finally over on May 10, the people of the State are now seen engaged in heated discussions, friendly debates and little gossiping as to which party will finally emerge the victor and come to power, this time. [S]
AGP MLA manhandles SULFA, AASU members in Bihpuria
BIHPURIA, May 12: The AGP candidate of Bihpuria Assembly constituency and MLA, Kesharam Bora, with his personal security officer and some supporters attacked four SULFA members and two local AASU leaders in front of the Prerana Cinema Hall at Bihpuria and wounded them yesterday at about 3 p.m. in the daytime. The incident created great sensation in the area. [S]
BJP alleges inadequate support from AGP
GUWAHATI, May 12 (UNI): The president of Assam unit's BJP, Mr Ramendra Nath Deka has alleged that their ally AGP did not adequately help the party during the elections. Mr Deka, a candidate from the Jalukbari constituency, said "on the other hand, we have worked hard to help their candidates, like Moidul Islam Bora in the Kamalpur constituency. But that was not reciprocated in the constituencies where the BJP was fighting an alliance candidate." BJP-AGP allied spokesman Birendra Prasad Baishya denied the allegation saying the AGP workers had extended full help. He claimed "the BJP will win Behali, Sorbhog, Jonai and even Dhakuakhana seat with our help. We have not betrayed them". [S]
Cong demands forces around Strong Rooms
GUWAHATI,May 12 (UNI): The Congress has demanded deployment of Central para-military forces to guard the strong rooms where ballot boxes are kept apprehending rigging in favour of the ruling AGP regime. Speaking to UNI here this morning Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) media cell chairman Bhagawan Lahkar has expressed the apprehension that " there might be rigging if only Assam Police is deployed around the strong rooms under the watchful eyes of the ruling administration". He said his party has received definite information that the ruling AGP might indulge in large-scale rigging in connivance with the State police. "We also do not favour the deployment of Army and home guards as it would be easier to rig alongwith higher officials" he said. [S]
Contest to cobble up govt reaches feverish pitch
GUWAHATI, May 12 (UNI): Lobbying in Assam has intensified with various parties trying to woo opposition candidates in a no-holds- barred contest to form the next State government.
Talking to UNI this morning, expelled Congress leader and former Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Matang Singh said that he was ready to support the Congress in forming the government, provided APCC chief Tarun Gogoi was ruled out as the party's chief ministerial candidate. [S]
Last-minute illegal appointments blot AGP copybook (v)
[Continued from yesterday]
GUWAHATI, May 12 : Sometime ago, we had reported that the Education Minister, Mr Thaneswar Boro wanted to appoint 41 lecturers in two government colleges at Haflong and Diphu as per a list prepared by him, ignoring rules and procedures on the subject. We had also reported that he could not succeed due to stiff resistance from the officers of the Education Department. [S]
Cong alleges mass rigging
GUWAHATI, May 12: Congress candidate from 64 Panery LAC Mridula Saharia has demanded re-election in the constituency alleging massive
violation of election rules, rigging and booth capturing by her rivals. Saharia, in a complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner, alleged that
on polling day on May 10, hundreds of miscreants had threatened the voters in most polling stations and asked them to leave. They
even entered the polling stations brandishing weapons, she said. The administration remained a mute spectator to the events, she alleged. [AT]
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Activists of the Assam Pradesh Youth Congress staging a dharna in front of the Janata Bhavan in protest against the alleged rigging by the Asom Gana Parishad in the recently-concluded State Assembly polls in the city on May 12.
The Sentinel photo. |
First phase of repoll peaceful
Over 72 pc cast votes in State
GUWAHATI, May 12: About 72.6 per cent voters today cast their votes in 75 polling stations in the Brahmaputra valley where
repolling was held as per directive of the Election Commission of India. [AT]
Counting of votes in State
Fate of 907 candidates to be decided today
GUWAHATI, May 12: The fate of 907 candidates contesting in 125 Assembly constituencies will be known tomorrow as the
counting of votes will begin simultaneously in 51 counting centres all over the State at 8 am tomorrow.
Official sources said that the counting this time would be faster than the
previous elections as the Election Commission has not ordered mixing of ballots of the polling stations
of each constituency. Sources pointed out that the mixing process took about couple of hours time and
this time will be saved. The results are expected late in the evening, sources added. [AT]
Hailakandi tense after group clash
HAILAKANDI, May 12: Tension prevails in Hailakandi after one person was killed and another hurt in a group clash between
supporters of AGP-BJP combine and Congress at Algapur in Hailakandi LAC and a bomb blast at the premises of an English medium school in the
heart of the town today even as CRPF, BSF, SSB and the Army have stepped up vigilance to check any attempts at sabotage in view of the
repolling at three booths in this and the other two Barak valley LACs. [AT]
Horned dilemmas
[Editorial, The Assam Tribune, May 13, 2001]
Come election time, and umpteen horns of umpteen dilemmas confront the denizens of the
nation, from the Chief Election Commissioner and political parties to the ordinary man of the
street. If the horns had been a trifle sharper than normal in the run up to the Assembly election in
Assam, both political as well as meteorological circumstances have been responsible for it! Not a
single political party, whether national, regional or simply one-man clones, has been spared. [AT]
Giant killer strikes in Dispur
GUWAHATI, May 13: The Gopinath Bhavan here was quiet throughout the
day. There was no sign of the impending storm.
Congress candidate Robin Bardoloi, who had taken
on two heavyweights -- chief minister and AGP chief
Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and sitting MLA and Trinamul
Gana Parishad leader Atul Bora for the prestigious
Dispur seat, took a break for a quiet lunch with his wife
at home. The "nail-biting" counting underway at the
Cotton Collegiate School had sapped his energy. [TT]
Mission impossible for AGP-BJP in Assam
GUWAHATI, May 13: It is introspection time for the AGP-BJP combine. But
leaders of the two allies will not be asking, "What went
wrong?"
The alliance itself was a "big mistake", and "verdict
2001" has proven the doomsayers right. The only
surprise is that the BJP has turned out to be a bigger
loser than the AGP in this Assembly elections. [TT]
Homecoming for former ULFA militant
JORHAT, May 13: The "homecoming" of former Ulfa leader Jiten Gogoi
is complete.
The electorate of Bokakhat constituency in Golaghat
district has elected him as their representative,
preferring him to sitting Congress MLA Bhupendra
Nath Bhuyan by an overwhelming margin of over 7,000
votes.
Gogoi's is one of the stunning wins for the Congress
along with Robin Bardoloi, who beat chief minister
Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and sitting MLA Atul Bora in
the Dispur seat. This apart, though four former rebels
contested in the elections, he is the only one to have
won. [TT]
Cong set to form govt in State
GUWAHATI, May 13: The Congress is all set to form the next government in Assam as the party is
heading towards a clear majority in the State Assembly polls. The Congress has made inroads into the
AGP-BJP bastions including Guwahati city and several senior leaders of the AGP were defeated
comfortably by their Congress rival. Till 1.30 a.m., of the 78 results declared, the Congress bagged 45
seats and were heading towards a comfortable majority in the 126-member State Assembly. [AT]
'Economic uplift top agenda of Cong Govt'
GUWAHATI, May 13: Economic development of Assam will be the main thrust of the Congress after assuming office, said the Assam
Pradesh Congress Committee president Tarun Gogoi. [AT]
Majuli registers highest polling
JORHAT, May 13: "Hope, and only hope is what has spurred
the otherwise never-say-die Majuli voters to leave setbacks
behind and exercise their franchise in hordes", is what many
leading citizens in the river island had to unanimously say about
the chiefly tribal electorate in the ST reserved LAC within Jorhat
district which has recorded the highest voting percentage this
time too as in previous years. [AT]
Election duty
[Letters to the Editor, The Assam Tribune, May 14, 2001]
Sir,
It refers the news item 'Leave for Govt. officials in Kamrup
district cancelled" (AT, April 12). It has been observed for years
that before every Parliamentary and Assembly elections, the
Election Commission gives instruction to the Chief Electoral
Officers and the District authorities for not granting of any kind of
leave. Very naturally, for the smooth conduct of the election,
manpower is highly essential. More ...
Yours etc., BISWAJIT PURKAYASTHA, Diphu, Karbi Anglong. [AT]
Sonia's speech
[Letters to the Editor, The Assam Tribune, May 14, 2001]
Sir,
This has reference to the photograph that appeared on the
front page of your esteemed daily. (Sonia Gandhi addressing an
election rally in Nalbari on May 8). One could clearly see in the
photograph that Smt Gandhi was reading out her speech from
pages filled with big bold letters and sentences. Is it not merely
ridiculous on her part to read out the speech which was written
by someone else?
Yours etc., INDRANI KAKATI, Dispur, Guwahati. [AT]
AGP routed in city
GUWAHATI, May 13: A resurgent Congress today routed the AGP in its bastion of Guwahati to clinch all the four Assembly constituencies with its candidates defeating several political heavyweights, including the AGP president and Chief Minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, former State Home Minister, Bhrigu Kumar Phukan, former PWD Minister, Atul Bora, Muncipal Administration Department Minister Biraj Kumar Sharma and Sericulture Minister Ramendra Narayan Kalita. [S]
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Congress candidates of Guwahati city (from left) Mr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Capt. Robin Bordoloi, Mr Hemanta Talukdar and Mr Pankaj Bora celebrating with their supporters in Cotton Collegiate Higher Secondary School premises in the city soon after the announcement of the results.
The Sentinel photo. |
Euphoria grips Cong camps all over State
GUWAHATI, May 13: Euphoria gripped the Congress camps, while a pall of gloom descended over the opposition camps throughout the State as the results of the Assembly elections started pouring in this afternoon. Immediately after the results of the four Assembly constituencies of Guwahati were declared, the celebration started in the Rajiv Bhavan, the State Congress headquarters here. [S]
Cong reacts sharply to AGP's allegation
DIBRUGARH, May 3: A number of Congress workers have reacted sharply over the Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta's allegation published in a section of the news papers that the Congress had "managed" pre-poll opinion polls in their favour.
They termed the allegation as "totally baseless". On the contrary they alleged that it was rather Mr Mahanta who with a sinister design fabricated the pre-poll forecasting with an aim to generate complacency amongst rank and file of the Congress workers which would wane the Congress campaign. [S]
Mandate against Misrule
[Editorial, The Sentinel, May 15, 2001]
The results of the Assembly elections in Assam are a clear pointer to the fact that regardless of the delusions of invincibility that political parties in power may entertain, the people are still the ultimate arbiters of whether the ruling party or coalition has performed up to their expectations or not. Quite obviously, the ability of the Congress to secure a clear majority on its own is a result of large-scale anti-incumbency voting that people have resorted to. [S]
For the sake of discipline I made no public comment against tie-up: Bijoya Chakravarty
GUWAHATI, May 14: Going by the mood in the State BJP camp, the party's tie-up with the AGP is likely to be a stormy one in the aftermath of the alliance's poor performance in the Assembly elections, though the BJP's State leadership remained non-committal on the immediate future of the alliance.
"The alliance has not helped us. It has stopped the growth of the BJP. Right now I am, however, not in the position to say whether we would continue the arrangement. A decision in this regard will be taken by the party high command," a senior State BJP leader and the Union Minister of State for Water Resources, Ms Bijoya Chakravarty said today.
Ms Chakravarty, however, squarely put the balme on the AGP for the alliance's debacle in the just-concluded Assembly elections, and said that the people has "outrightly rejected the alliance". [S]
Samata, SP, TC make their way to Barak Valley
SILCHAR, May 14: In the citadel of the Congress and the BJP, multiple parties never before have shared seats. This time, it has been a bizarre poll outcome, upsetting all projections and predictions. Barring Silchar, results of all the 14 seats in Barak Valley have been declared. The INC and the BJP have bagged 5 and 3 seats respectively while Independents share 2 and the Samata Party, the Samajwadi, the Trinamool Congress and the AGP have 1 seat each.
Meanwhile, the fate of the BJP candidate and sitting MLA Bimalangshu Roy hangs in the balance in view of the repoll ordered at Abhaya Charan Pathsala booth of the town as the seal of the ballot box of the centre was found tampered with. [S]
Cong candidate alleges rigging in Panery
GUWAHATI, May 14: Ms Mridula Saharia, Congress (I) candidate from Panery LAC has alleged in a press release that hundreds of miscreants threatened the voters to evacuate the respective polling stations areas which created panic among the voters. The anti-social elements threatened with dire consequences almost all the presiding officers as well as the polling agents not to register any complaints of booth capturing and rigging, the release added. Though the voters registered complaint to the District Returning Officer, Udalguri no action was taken, the release alleged. [S]
Cong back to power with thumping majority
GUWAHATI, May 14: The Congress has swept the State Assembly polls, winning 71 of the 123 seats
declared so far, while the ruling Asom Gana Parishad suffered a serious setback, winning only 19 seats.
Repolling has been ordered in one booth in Silchar as the ballot box of the booth was not sealed
properly, while, recounting has been ordered in Sipajhar constituency. The AGP's alliance partner BJP
also suffered as the party managed to win only seven seats. Among the AGP's allies only ABSU lived
upto the expectations, winning 10 seats. The ABSU had fielded independent candidates in 12
constituencies. [AT]
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Jubilant Congress leaders including Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Tarun Gogoi and All India Congress Committee leader Jagadish Tytler showing the victory sign at Rajiv Bhavan in the city on Monday.
The Sentinel photo. |
Talks offer to ultras
Gogoi promises plan to tackle insurgency
GUWAHATI, May 14: Assam Congress President Tarun Gogoi, tipped to be the next Chief Minister, today said the next Congress
Government would draw up a "comprehensive plan" to tackle insurgency problem while making a clarion call to the ultras to come for
negotiation. [AT]
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Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and chief ministerial candidate Tarun Gogoi at a press conference at Rajiv Bhavan in Guwahati on May 14.
The Asam Tribune photo. |
Mahanta submits resignation
GUWAHATI, May 14: After his party's debacle in the State Assembly polls, Chief Minister Prafulla
Kumar Mahanta today met the Governor Lt Gen (Retd) SK Sinha at the Raj Bhawan and formally
tendured his resignation. The Governor accepted his resignation and asked him to continue in office till
the next government is formed. Talking to The Assam Tribune after submitting his resignation, Sri
Mahanta congratulated the people of the State for coming out to cast their votes despite the threat
posed by the militants and said, "the people want a change and we accept the verdict of the voters." He
said that the AGP would play the role of a constructive Opposition for the all round development of the
State and its people. [AT]
Pressure on Gogoi to contest from Dibrugarh
From Ron Duarah
DIBRUGARH, May 14: With the State political scenario all set for a new Congress Government to take over by this weekend, there is mounting
pressure on Chief Minister-designate, Tarun Gogoi, to contest from the city. Elections here have been countermanded following the
assassination of BJP candidate Jayanta Dutta and fresh election notification is expected within a fortnight. Party workers here are now
working overtime to convince Gogoi to contest from the city. Dibrugarh has the distinction of returning Congress candidates without fail since
the country's first elections in 1952. Gogoi, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Kaliabor, did not contest this year's Assembly elections. But with the
Congress convention of electing the Pradesh Congress Committee chief as Chief Minister in States where the party is in power, he has
become the natural choice to head the State Government. [AT]
AGP stalwarts come crashing down
GUWAHATI, May 14: Many stalwarts in the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) including its president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta have been made to bite the dust even as Congress is preparing to
form the next Government in the State after receiving a popular mandate. Sri Mahanta was humiliated in the prestigious Dispur constituency where he emerged a poor third after Captain Robin Bordoloi of
Congress and Atul Bora of Trinamool Gana Parishad (TGP). However, the AGP chief could salvage some pride by retaining the Barhampur seat by a margin of over 5,000 votes. [AT]
Mixed fortune for women aspirants to State Assembly
GUWAHATI, May 14: In keeping with the trend of several unexpected upsets in the just-concluded
polls to the state Assembly, the lot of the 53 women contenders in the polls reflected a mixed fortune.
Among the veteran women candidates who were not returned in the polls -- Syeda Anwara Taimur --
and old hand of Congress -- was defeated by AGP's Abdul Jabbar. This has come as quite a surprise
similar to the defeat of Congress leader and leader of Opposition, Sri Silvius Condpan. Syeda Taimur's
fate is shared by another Congress veteran and sitting MLA from 118 Duliajan LAC, Smt Amiya Gogoi. [AT]
BJP to review alliance with AGP
GUWAHATI, May 14: Shocked by the poor show of the AGP-BJP combine in the hustings, the BJP today hinted that its short honeymoon
with the regional party may end soon. The AGP has failed to give the "necessary pinpointed thrust" to the alliance, the BJP said. State BJP
secretary Sanjib Goswami, in a statement this evening, said that the elections have proved that though the BJP had made the "maximum
sacrifice" in the seat-sharing arrangement, yet the alliance with the AGP did not yield the expected results. The time has come for the
party to review the entire working of the alliance with the AGP, he said. Goswami said that the party will carry out 'serious
introspection' into the causes of the defeat and will draw up a detailed plan of action and strategy for the future. [AT]
Buoyant mood in Rajiv Bhawan
GUWAHATI, May 14: The flags, festoons and banners continued to flutter but the scenes in the headquarters of various political parties in the city presented pictures of stark contrasts
today. While that in the Congress was of wild celebration, there was an uneasy calm in those of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist
Party of India (CPI). Set to form the next government in the state, Congressmen in their hundreds thronged the State headquarters, Rajiv Bhawan, at GS Road since early this morning. Upbeat
leaders, workers and supporters waited patiently for the winning party candidates to arrive. And once they arrived, the newly elected MLAs were swamped with garlands and gamochas. In
sharp contrast to the buoyant mood in the Congress office, the AGP headquarters at Ambari wore a deserted and gloomy look. After the flurry of activity seen here for the past few weeks, the
total inactivity today seemed bizarre. [AT]
Mandate for change
[Editorial, The Assam Tribune, May 15, 2001]
The electorate of Assam has given a decisive verdict for change. The return of Congress (I) to power with massive support
from different sections of people cannot be explained only by attributing it to anti-incumbency factor even though that
possibly played the most important role. Local issues undoubtedly were responsible for the queering of the pitch in many
constituencies. The elections have only confirmed some pre-poll surveys about issues before the voters. [AT]
MLAs lobby for spoils of war
GUWAHATI, May 14: The Congress leadership today braced for the
Herculean task of working out a formula to keep
everyone happy as newly-elected party legislators
arrived here in droves to stake claim to the spoils of
the just-concluded electoral battle.
The tally of 71 seats -- 11 more than the exit poll
prediction -- has given the Congress much to cheer
about, but the challenge of putting up a united front
appears to be already weighing down the party
leadership. [TT]
Use of EVM
[Letters to the Editor, The Assam Tribune, May 16, 2001]
Sir,
It is a welcome measure to use electronic voting
machines in 731 polling stations of Kamrup district by the
Election Commission of India. But the process of counting is
very important in such a situation. In case of computer counting
the authority has to be very meticulous so as to arrive at a
genuine result. Otherwise it may cause unending legal battle as
it did in the counting of votes of the Presidential election of Al
Gore and George Bush in Florida State of the USA.
Yours etc., MD IDRISH ALI, Morigaon.
ASDC factions humbled in hill districts
GUWAHATI, May 15: Cashing in on the vertical split in Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), Congress stormed back to the
centrestage of politics in the two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills by clinching three out of five Assembly seats
there. The ASDC-U headed by Holiram Terang managed to win in Howraghat and Bokajan constituencies while the ASDC-P led by Chandra
Kanta Terang drew blank in all the five LACs under Diphu Parliamentary constituency. Congress wrested Diphu, Haflong and
Baithalangsu seats from the ASDC factions, the champions of Autonomous State Movement in the two hill districts. Stalwarts of the ASDC
factions were made to bite the dust as evident from the results. [AT]
BJP wins Silchar Assembly seat
GUWAHATI, May 15: The Silchar Assembly seat went to the BJP candidate Bimalangsu Roy who defeated his nearest Congress rival
Kamalendu Bhattacharjee by 71 votes, according to our Silchar correspondent. In the Sipajhar seat, AGP's Zoii Nath Sarma polled
45,978 votes while the Congress candidate Binanda Saikia polled 45,765 votes, 213 votes less than the former. But the result was yet to
be declared officially, reports our Sipajhar Correspondent. [AT]
BJP unlikely to snap ties with AGP
NEW DELHI, May 15: The BJP Central leadership is unlikely to act in haste and snap its ties with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), as being demanded by a section of its State unit members. A final
decision on the future of its relationship with the regional party would be taken at Mussoorie when the
party's Central office bearers would meet from May 20 to analyse the results of the Assembly elections
and its performance. [AT]
ABSU manages to halt Cong's juggernaut
GUWAHATI, May 15: Though the AGP-BJP alliance was routed in the Assam Assembly polls, one
of the partners of the alliance, that is the All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) managed to salvage some
prestige by winning 10 seats. The ABSU and its allied organisations fielded 12 candidates and 10 of
them have been elected to the State Assembly. The ABSU adviser, Urkhau Gwra Brahma, said that for
the time being, they would stay with the alliance. Talking to The Assam Tribune, Sri Brahma said that
at this moment, the AGP-BJP alliance is not in a position to do much for the solution of the Bodo
problem apart from extending moral support. He said that the ABSU's support to the alliance was
issue-based "and we sincerely hoped that the alliance would do well. However, the big brothers of the
alliance failed to live up to the expectations." [AT]
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AICC general secretary Kamal Nath ascertaining the views of the newly-elected Congress MLA from Thowra, Mr Devananda Konwar on the CLP leadership issue while (right) other Congress MLAs wait for their turn outside Mr Nath's suite at Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok in Guwahati on May 15.
The Sentinel photo. |
Cong took extremist help: Mahanta
GUWAHATI, May 15: The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today alleged that the Congress party used militant outfits and spread all kinds of rumour among the religious minority community to scare it away from the AGP-BJP alliance so that it could get their votes in the recently-concluded Assam Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference here today, AGP president and outgoing Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta blamed the Congress for using insurgents during the poll and spreading the rumour among the religious minority community that the AGP-BJP alliance would go against their (minority's) interest. "The Congress has played this nefarious game and got a number of traditional AGP seats," he said. [S]
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A downcast AGP president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta addressing a press conference in Guwahati on May 15.
The Assam Tribune photo. |
Dispur gets ready for change of guard
GUWAHATI, May 15 : It is the time of shifting loyalty. With the change of guards in Dispur, hectic activities have been witnessed among a section of bureaucrats and ministerial staff to get in touch with prominent Congress leaders, who are elected in the just-concluded Assembly elections and expected to get berths in the next government in Assam.
Sources said that the bureaucrats are in constant touch with some of the Congress leaders in order to get prime postings or coveted departments with the formation of the new government. Some of them have even been trying to 'revive' their old relations with some former ministers who are elected this time again. Besides, some ministerial aides are also in constant touch with some of their old 'mentors' to get postings with them. [S]
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