The banned United Liberation Front of Asom on Wednesday dismissed media reports about division within the militant group over its demand for sovereignty for Assam.

In the latest issue of its monthly mouthpiece Freedom, the ULFA asserted that there was no rift within the group and the media reports about the 'rift' that a section of leaders of the group minus the commander in chief Paresh Baruah was willing to drop the sovereignty demand was nothing but part of misinformation campaign engineered by the 'colonial' government of India.

The ULFA stated that the group remained united in its demand for sovereignty for people of Assam and reiterated its allegation against the government of India that the latter was trying to put the blame on the ULFA for the deadlock that hit the peace initiative to find a solution to the insurgency problem in the state.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday hoped for direct talks with the banned ULFA.

Interacting with the media on the sidelines of the conference of the state police chiefs of the northeastern states, Gogoi said the door for direct negotiation with the ULFA was still open.

He said the ULFA needed to follow the path shown by the former rebels of Mizo National Front who had given up the path of violence to join the democratic process in the country and were now ruling the state of Mizoram.

He also said peace and development had returned to the Bodoland areas of Assam after the signing of peace accord with the militant Bodo Liberation Tigers.

The BLT leaders are at the helm of affairs in Bodoland Autonomous District Council and partner in Congress-led coalition government in Assam.

The chief minister said his government was going to organise a conference of civil society leaders by the end of this year in order to mount pressure on the ULFA to come over for direct talks with the government of India.