'The BJP successfully merged governance with identity. That's a powerful combination in Assam's political context.'
NDA partner Bodoland People's Front (BPF) is expected to secure a majority of the 15 Assembly seats in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam, leading in 10 constituencies, according to Election Commission data. The BJP, a major partner in the ruling NDA, leads in three seats, while the UPPL and Congress are ahead in one seat each.
In its list of 26 candidates for Thursday's assembly elections, 13 are from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community -- a demographic that was at the centre of the original Assam agitation.
In the Opposition camp, the Congress, which contested 99 seats, won 19 constituencies, while the Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF and Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal secured two seats each, and the Trinamool Congress bagged one constituency.
'I repeatedly contacted the party leadership, but they didn't take my calls. The District Congress Committee offered no assistance.' 'I waited for a long time, and when no response came, I decided to quit the party.'
Hopefully, the BJP will realise that it's the right time for parivartan (change) in its polarising poll strategies after achieving the impossible-looking goal of winning West Bengal, argues Sheela Bhatt.
The Left Democratic Front's defeat in Kerala marks a historic moment as Left parties are without power in any state for the first time in decades, highlighting their diminishing political influence across India.
Several opposition parties on Wednesday decided to jointly oppose the delimitation provisions in the Constitution amendment bill in Parliament, even as they reiterated support for women's reservation, with Mallikarjun Kharge alleging the move is politically motivated.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claims that 'Miyas' vote unitedly, leading to their political advancement, while the votes of 'our people' are scattered. He also asserted the need to maintain pressure on illegal settlers in Lower Assam.
The same technologies that enable State forces to monitor and strike insurgent camps are now being mirrored by non-State actors with increasing sophistication.
'It is clear they have accepted that the next two elections belong to the BJP.'
The proscribed ULFA(I) claimed drone and missile attacks on its camps along the Myanmar border by the Indian Army, resulting in casualties. The Indian Army has not confirmed the incident. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma denied state police involvement.
At least 10 militants were killed in a gunfight with an Assam Rifles unit in Manipur's Chandel district on Wednesday, officials said. The operation is still in progress, they said.
Security forces in Manipur have arrested 10 militants belonging to various banned outfits.
The Centre on Monday decided to extend the ban imposed on the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang [NSCN-K)] along with all its factions, wings and front organisations for five more years due to its involvement in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
Security forces in Manipur have launched a major crackdown on the banned People's Liberation Army (PLA) following an ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy. Fifteen cadres have been arrested, including suspects directly involved in the attack. Investigations are underway to determine if the PLA has political patronage and if weapons looted during ethnic clashes are being used against security forces.
The United Liberation Front of Assam led by its fugitive commander in chief Paresh Barua has called upon all the indigenous ethnic groups in Assam including Bodo, Karbi, Dimasa others to join its armed revolution to liberate Assam from the clutches of the 'colonial Indian state'.
'Political protection allow groups to recruit, rearm and operate with reduced operational pressure. That increases their bargaining power and their ability to destabilise.'
The well-fought defensive battles in Aksai Chin and eastern Arunachal, in remote and forbidding locations such as Galwan, Rezang La, Gurung Hill and Walong, effectively halted Chinese advances not once but twice during the campaign. These engagements, fought with grit and without adequate support, were not immediately known to the world in 1962, points out Dr Kumar.
A senior police officer said bomb disposal squads have been rushed to all the places mentioned by ULFA-I but there is no report of recovery of any bomb or explosive.
The Assam government's efforts to woo the 'B' company of the now dissolved 28th battalion of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam has so far failed, in view of the belligerence shown by the Army operating under the counter-insurgency unified command structure in the state.
Tea major Hindustan Lever Ltd, facing threat to its employees from ULFA, will not withdraw its operations from Assam following an assurance by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
Shah said the ULFA, the oldest insurgent group of Assam, agreed to abjure violence, disband the organisation and join the democratic process.
Gandhi alleged that assembly and Lok Sabha polls were being "stolen" across the country and there was a "conspiracy" in Bihar to do the same through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The members of the insurgent groups -- United Liberation Front of Assam, National Democratic Front of Boroland, Rabha National Liberation Front, Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, Communist Party of India-Maoist, National Santhal Liberation Army, Adivasi Dragon Fighters and National Liberation Front of Bengali -- joined the mainstream in front of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at a programme.
The juggernaut of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, which triumphed in three of the four east and north-eastern states that went for assembly bypolls on Saturday, was halted yet again in West Bengal where Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress registered a six-on-six clean sweep.
'Talking about boycotting polls is simply a move to galvanise party leaders, workers, and supporters for the big political fight.'
A total of 246 militants of United Gorkha People's Organisation and Tiwa Liberation Army formally surrendered before Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati on Thursday.
Both the Congress and AAP are part of the 16-party United Opposition Forum, Assam, formed to contest the general elections together, but a rift had emerged with members of the forum announcing candidates against each other in various constituencies of the state.
Sixty-eight militants, 66 belonging to the banned United Liberation Front of Asom and two from All Adivasi National Liberation Army on Thursday laid down arms.
Thirty nine militants including 32 from the banned United Liberation Front of Asom surrendered before the Indian Army's on Friday at the headquarters of the 21 Mountain Division at Rangiya about 45 kilometers from Assam's capital Guwahati. Of the 39, 32 were from the 709 battalion of the ULFA while four are from Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front and three from All Adivasi National Liberation Army.
The Maoists who are trying to gain a stronghold in Assam have 114 identified cadres working in the state, as per the information gathered by the special task force of Assam Police that was constituted to study the menace.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought data on the beneficiaries of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act in Assam, saying there was no material before it which could indicate that the effect of granting Indian citizenship to Bangladeshi immigrants between 1966 and 1971 was so great that it impacted the demographic and cultural identity of the border state.
The army in coordination with Assam Police has intensified operation against the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam along Assam-Meghalaya inter-state boundary areas in western Assam to prevent insurgents from sneaking into Assam from forest areas in Meghalaya's Garo Hills to carry out hit-and-run operation inside Assam territory.
A militant from the anti-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam was shot dead following an encounter with a joint team of the Assam Police and CRPF Cobra Force near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in eastern Assam's Sivasagar district on Wednesday. The incident occurred at Lalmati in Namsai area, bordering Arunachal Pradesh. The slain militant has been identified as Robin Moran alias Habindra Moran of Lalkhipathar in Tinsukia district.
At least six persons were injured in a grenade explosion triggered by suspected anti-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) at Bongaigaon town in western Assam tonight, police said.
The anti-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam has called for 12-hout Assam bandh on May 26 to protest the visit of the united Progressive Alliance chairman and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to Guwahati on that day.
The Assam police on Friday night arrested three hardcore militants belonging to the proscribed United Liberation Front of Assam along with arms and ammunition from Laru area along Assam-Meghalaya border under Hamren police station in Karbi Anglong hill district of Assam.
Suspected abductors from Assam Adivasi National Liberation Army on Thursday set free the kidnapped tea executive Anniruddha Tanti, from Hirajuli Tea Estate under Dhekiajuli police station in Sonitpur district.
Official sources said Assam Rifles personnel acting on a tip off raided Sora area in Thoubal and gunned down the militants.
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