BJP hopes to win majority seats in Assam local bodies election
Guwahati: The opposition BJP in Assam today said it hopes to win majority of the 74 municipal boards and town committees during the elections of these bodies next month. “We hope we will be able to capture majority of the bodies. To fight the elections effectively, we have divided the entire state into eight zones,” BJP Assam unit president Siddhartha Bhattacharya told reporters here. The zones have been empowered to select candidates and identify local issues to the campaign, he said. Bhattacharya alleged the administration was “supporting one party by doing irregularities in voter lists”. “We demand the administration to hold a free and fair poll for the civic bodies,” he added. The Assam State Election Commission had on Monday notified the elections to the 74 municipal boards and town committees to be held on February 10 this year. Candidates can file nominations from January 19 to January 28 and scrutiny would be done on January 30. The last date for withdrawal of candidature has been fixed on February 2. February 12 has been kept for re-polling if necessary. The counting of votes would take place on February 13. (PTI)
Governor wishes people on Bhogali Bihu
Guwahati: Assam Governor P B Acharya and his wife Kavita Acharya on Tuesday wished a very Happy Bhogali or Magh Bihu to the people of Assam. The Bihus are the most important festival of the people of Assam while Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu was a festival of feasting and merry making, the Governor said in a statement. It is celebrated throughout the state among all the people of the plains and the plain tribes through various forms of their customs and traditions in honour of thanking the Gods for a bountiful harvest reaped by hard labour and Gods’ blessings, he added. He appealed to all citizens of the state to celebrate the festival in the spirit of unity, amity and brotherhood. The two-day festival begins Wednesday. (PTI)
Professor at girl’s college in Assam dies of ‘severe chest pain’
Udhagamandalam (TN): A professor of a girl’s college in Assam, who was in this tourist town on a study tour with his students, died after experiencing chest pain, police said. Lakshminarayan Choman (40) of G S Lohia Girl’s College, Tinsukia, was staying in a private lodge with the students after they arrived from Mysore Monday evening. At around midnight, he felt uneasy and experienced chest pain but recovered after being given first aid and decided to stay back in the lodge though an assistant professor wanted to take him to a hospital, police said. He fell unconscious around 7.30 AM on Tuesday in his room and was immediately taken to a private hospital, from where he was referred to the Government Hospital here, they said. However, he was declared brought dead. Doctors suspect that the severe cold, with temperatures at around six degrees Celsius could have triggered the chest pain. The authorities are awaiting the arrival of his relatives to conduct post-mortem and to hand over the body, police said. (PTI)
Nagaland observed National Youth Day
Kohima: To commemorate the 153rd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the Ramakrishna Society has observed the National Youth Day in Dimapur with the participation of hundreds of women and youth. According to a statement,convener of the Celebration Committee and social worker, Bishnu Bhattacharjee, addressing the gathering on Monday, encouraged the youth with quotes and thoughts of ‘Swamiji’ and requested all to read books on works of Swami Vivekananda which would inspire all to strengthen spiritually and physically to contribute in ‘every aspect in our society’. Members of Ramakrishna Society and guests paid tribute to ‘Swamiji’ by garlanding on the statue of Vivekananda and offering floral tribute ‘Pushpanjali’ to the portraity. (UNI)
Broad gauge rail line opened in Dima Hasao district
Haflong: Using the newly constructed broad gauge track in central Assam’s Dima Hasao district for the first time, a goods train arrived at New Haflong station on Monday. The goods train with 43 wagons reached the main rail station of the district at 4:15 PM along with senior rail officials, North-East Frontier Railway PRO Nripendra Bhattacharyya said. The train travelled 98 kms from Patharkhula to New-Haflong station through nine tunnels, 15 stations, 15 major bridges and 135 minor bridges, he said. The train was welcomed by a large group of enthusiastic public of Haflong town. After receiving clearance from the Railway Safety Commission the running of passenger trains will begin from Pathakhula to New-Haflong on the track extended up to Silchar, Bhattacharyya said. (PTI)