Dr. Jayashree Mahanta expelled from AGP 
The Asom Gana Parishad  (AGP) expelled former Rajya Sabha member Jayashree Goswami Mahanta from the party for filing her nomination  as an independent candidate from the Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency. AGP spokesman Jagadish Bhuyan said that the party president Brindaban Goswami took the decision to expel Goswami Mahanta, wife of former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, from the party following discussions with other senior leaders of the party. He said that Mrs. Mahanta went against the interest of the party by filing nomination against the AGP candidate Afzalur Rahman in Dhubri. He said that one of the legislators suspended by the party for violating the party whip in the recently held Rajya Sabha polls, also helped Mrs. Mahanta in filing her nomination against the official candidate of the party.

Meghalaya Transport Minister in trouble  
Meghalaya Minister for Transport, Manirul Islam Sarkar, has come under fire from the Garo Students Union (GSU) for the alleged illegal appointment of a time keeper at the District Transport Office in Tura. The GSU has also threatened to go on an agitational programme if the appointment of Sheikh is not terminated. The Minister reportedly had appointed one Abdul Alim Sheikh through an appointment letter from Shillong on February 25. The students body is irked over the fact that there was no advertisement, test or interview held for the said post “which clearly violates all existing norms of recruitment in the State Government.”

No threat to Apang govt: V Satish 
The BJP has clarified that there was no threat to the eight-month-old BJP-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Government in Arunachal Pradesh and to the leadership of Chief Minister Gegong Apang. BJP Secretary for North-East Border Areas (NEBA) V Satish said all the Central BJP leaders were supporting Mr Apang and no leadership change will take place in the State. Referring to the vexed Chakma-Hajong refugee imbroglio in the State, the BJP leader maintained that after the Lok Sabha elections, the party would try to pave way for an acceptable and honourable solution to the protracted problem. Mr Satish also appealed to the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), spearheading the anti-refugee movement, to review its stand -no solution no elections- for the larger interest of the state and the people.

Congress replaces Diphu candidate
Faced with the threat of serious rebellion in the Diphu Lok Sabha seat of Assam, the Congress replaced its first choice of candidate. According to Congress General Secretary Oscar Fernandes, veteran Congressmen Biren Singh Engti would be the Congress candidate in place of Kuntila Ronghapi. Ms Ronghapi’s selection had sparked off a full-scale rebellion in the Karbi Anglong district with a large section protesting against the decision. It is learnt that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi himself was ‘’very unhappy’’ at the decision as  Ms Ronghapi was considered too light weight against three-time MP Dr. Jayanta Rongpi of the CPI (ML).

UDP Vice-President & others join BJP 
Vice-President of United Democratic Party and former Minister H B Dan along with hundreds of others joined the BJP. Besides Mr Dan, a senior politician from the Jaintia Hills, other two prominent leaders are the Joint secretary   of Party’s Jaintia Hills unit and the President of Nartiang Circle. They joined the saffron brigade in the presence of     state BJP President and MLA A. L. Hek. Mr Dan,who had been actively    involved in the growth of regional political parties in the State for years, unequivocally expressed displeasure over consensus candidate S Loniak Marbaniang of the regional parties for Shillong seat and  said grasssroots level of  various political units was entirely kept in dark about the selection.

Rhino kills woman 
A woman was trampled to death by a rhino while two others were seriously injured in Assam’s Morigaon. The woman, Amity Bordaloi, was killed by a rhino who entered Dondua village from nearby Pobitora wildlife sanctuary and also injured her husband Binit Bordaloi and another person Krishna Rao.

EC extends polling hours by one hour in NE 
The Election Commission (EC) has extended the polling hours by one hour in the entire North-Eastern region (NER),to allow maximum polling. The commission has now fixed the polling hours in the seven NE states from 0700 to 1700 hours instead of previous polling hours from 0800 hours to 1700 hours.

Congress united in Assam: APCC chief 
The APCC president dismissed reports of a rift in the party in Assam and said it would fight the Lok Sabha polls as a united unit. “The so-called rift between myself and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is nothing but a creation of the media. The party in Assam is a solid unit which is gearing up to face the polls,’’ Mr Ghatowar said while dismissing reports of a rift over selection of party candidates in the State. The PCC chief, who is seeking re-election from Dibrugarh constituency in Upper Assam, said “agreement and disagreement were part of a democratic set-up like the Congress and not much should be read into it.’’ The performance of the three-year-old Congress government in Assam led by Tarun Gogoi will be the major poll plank for the party in the coming election, Mr. Ghatowar said while claiming the party was not suffering from an anti-incumbency factor in the State. 

AGP talks tough on dissension 
Plagued by dissension before the general election, AGP is ready to sacrifice anyone to maintain discipline. Amidst reports that former CM Prafulla Kumar Mahanta might join the Congress, Party president Brindabon Goswami made it clear that nobody was above the party and toughest action would be taken against indsciplin. He said two MLAs had already been suspended for not voting in the Rajya Sabha election and former MP Dr Jayshree Goswami Mahanta was expelled for contesting as an independent.  Mr Goswami reiterated that the party would not spare anyone  for any act of indiscipline. ACF not to vote in favour of BJP if demands not met  In a significant development, the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) has threatened to vote against the saffron brigade in the coming Lok Sabha polls if State Power (Electrical) Minister Lijum Ronya was not dropped from the State cabinet. The development came in the wake of Ronya’s recent letter to a central BJP leader allegedly requesting him not to issue election ticket to one Christian leader as he was responsible for spreading Christianity in this Himalayan state”. Addressing a press conference, ACF General Secretary Rev. Nyato Tasar and its Vice-President Taking Taggu informed that the forum had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Gegong Apang requesting him to drop Mr Ronya from the council of ministers and to sack him from the party as well. Mr Tasar said if the demands were not met, the Forum would take its own course of action by organising a peace rally in the capital complex and by asking people to vote against the BJP  in the coming Lok Sabha polls. The forum a lso demanded an unconditional public apology from the power minister.

Additional forces deployed in Meghalaya 
The Meghalaya Government has deployed five additional companies of para-military forces and identified 165 hyper-sensitive and 464 sesitive polling booths in the State to ensure incident-free polling on April 20. According to Director General of Police L Sailo, four of the additional companies would be deployed in the Garo hills, where a rise in militancy called for such an arrangement. Nagaland Govt. to help tribal Hohos The Nagaland government has decided to give financial assistance to tribal Hohos to facilitate unity and reconciliation process in the State. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio recently said in the Assembly that tribal Hohos, the traditional apex bodies of the tribes, vying for reconciliation and unity among all sections of Nagas, would be given financial assistance if approached.“This is a good suggestion and  if any tribal Hoho approaches the government for assistance,   it will be given due consideration,’’ he said. The Chief Minister said facilitating the peace process is the top priority of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Government and it would render help in all possible ways to find an amicable solution to the Naga political problem.

JNMDA completes 50 years 
Premier institution of Manipuri dance and music Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA) observed its 50th foundation day recently in a ceremony marked by simplicity and grace. The ceremony was graced by noted Manipuri scholar and former Vice-Chairman of the Academy Pandit N Khelchandra, eminent Manipuri Dance Exponent   Guru R K Singhajit and renowned scholar Prof L. Damodar as the chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively. In his address,  L Joychandra, Chairman of JNMDA recalled the inception and establishment of the premier academy in 1954. The academy is the only Manipuri music and dance academy in the country, he said and added that it has so far produced around 28  dance dramas.

Stop police atrocity, or no peace talks:HNLC 
The top three of the banned HNLC negated claims of possible surrender and said peace talks would be held only if the police stopped atrocities against the cadres. The denial came following reports about more HNLC ultras’ possible surrender. The organisation denied reports about probable surrender of its leaders, including the chairman. A joint statement signed by HNLC chairman Julius K Dorphang, general secretary Cheristerfield Thangkhiew and self-styled      c-in-c Bobby Marwein said there was no truth in the claims made by police regarding ideological differences and splits in the outfit. On the call for peace by the government it said peace would prevail only when corruption and police atrocities were checked. “What kind of peace are they talking about? It seems that they want to see that peace prevails with nobody fighting against corruption and misuse of public assets by politicians,” the statement said. 

Prohibitory orders in Manipur 
Prohibitory orders under section 144 Cr PC were clamped at Nambol in Manipur’s Bishnupur district as tension ran high after BJP workers allegedly pulled down a Congress flag hoisted at the party office. Congress workers had hoisted the party flag at their office. However, BJP state unit workers led by sitting MP Chaoba Singh allegedly rushed to the site and pulled down the flag. Anticipating outbreak of violence in the area and hostility between workers of both parties, the Deputy Magistrate of Bishnupur clamped the prohibitory order for a month.

Bangla rules out Anup Chetia’s extradition 
Bangladesh has virtually ruled out the possibility of extradition of jailed ULFA leader Anup Chetia saying the government cannot intervene in judicial matters. Foreign Minister Mohammed Morshed Khan said, “The government can’t intervene in the matter as the case pertaining to Chetia is in the court.” An NGO run by Sigma Huda, wife of Communication Minister Nazmul Huda, has moved the court pleading against Chetia’s extradition and seeking political asylum for him in Bangladesh. The government is yet to take a decision on the matter. 

Cong MP calls   for poll boycott   in Arunachal 
Rajya Sabha member from Arunachal Pradesh, Nabam Rebia, asked the people of the State to boycott the ensuing Lok Sabha election to protest the EC decision to include the Chakma-Hajong refugees in the electoral rolls. Rebia, a former student leader, said the people should rise above politics and oppose tooth and nail EC’s decision which, he alleged, was “in total connivance with the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre”. “The destiny of this beautiful bordering State would be shattered if a single refugee succeded in finding his name in the electoral rolls,” he said.

Manipur BJP  Vice-President’s house fired at 
Six unidentified persons opened fire at the residence of State  BJP Vice-president N. Tombi Singh in Singjamei Naorem Leikai.

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