Suspected militants belonging the banned United Liberation Front of Asom on Saturday shot dead a senior Congress leader, a president of a panchayat body under Hajo Legislative Assembly constituency in Kamrup district about 35 km from Guwahati.

A police source informed that two unidentified militants pumped three bullets into Congress leader Munin Bharali at a place called Chencha near Hajo while he was on his way to Guwahati in his chauffer-driven Maruti van. The militants escaped after committing the crime.

The seriously injured Congress leader was rushed to Guwahati Medical College Hospital where he was declared dead.

The killing of the Congressman who was very close to Congress legislator from Hajo and senior Assam Pradesh Congress Committee leader Haren Das, has sent alarm bells ringing in the Congress rank and file, given that the banned ULFA had warned about targeting members of the ruling party if the army continued its offensive against the militant group in the state.

A source in the Congress said that it was significant that the incident took place when AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh is in the state.

ULFA triggered an explosion at Kakopathar in Tinsukia district on Friday killing one person and injuring several when Singh was in the district.

"These incidents might be pressure tactics of the ULFA to drive home the message to AICC leadership that it would be prudent on part of Congress government in New Delhi to rein in the army and opt for a political solution to the ULFA problem," the source said.

Meanwhile, police recovered two improvised explosive devices at Gumi under Chaygaon police station in Kamrup district on Saturday.