Cong forms election, manifesto committees for Assam polls
New Delhi: Seeking to put its house in order in Assam where polls are due next year, Congress on Friday night set up eight committees including that on campaign, manifesto, coordination and communication, giving representation to all sections. Former Union Minister Paban Ghotowar has been made Chairman of the two-member crucial campaign committee while senior leader Bhubaneswar Kalita will chair the manifesto committee. AICC general secretary CP Joshi chairs the 10-member Coordination Committee, which has Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, PCC chief Anjan Dutta, former Union Minister Paban Ghatowar, and Hemo Prova Saikia, wife of former Chief Minister Hiteshwar Saikia, as members. Dutta heads the Election Coordination Committee. Pankaj Bora heads the media and communication department. Pradyot Bardloi chairs the publicity committee while the five-member disciplinary committee is headed by Bishnu Prasad. The party’s decision has come within a fortnight after a prominent leader of the party, Himanta Biswa Sarma, left Congress on August 28 and joined BJP giving a fillip to the rival party’s attempt to gain foothold in the state, which is being ruled by the Congress for last three terms. (PTI)
Mizoram drive to stop transport of illicit drugs
Aizawl: Permits of vehicles which are seized for transporting illicit drugs would now be cancelled in Mizoram, an official statement on Friday said. The state Transport department in a statement said that the order was issued following a meeting between Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and leaders of the central committee of Young Mizo Association (YMA). YMA leaders had requested Lal Thanhawla to take a tough stand against not only drug traffickers and pushers, but also the transporters. The chief minister had in turn promised more stringent punishment would be meted out to vehicle owners and drivers involved in drug trafficking. Transport department officials said majority of drugs in the state, including heroin and methamphetamine, are smuggled in from Myanmar via Zokhawthar along the international border in Champhai district. The government has instructed police, transport, excise and narcotics departments’ officials to keep watch on vehicles plying between Zokhawthar and Aizawl. (PTI)
Tripura CM flays Modi, Cong
Jorhat: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Friday flayed the Modi government and opposition Congress for giving “tall promises before elections”. Addressing a rally here on the occasion of state level conference of the SFI, Sarkar charged the BJP government of trying to divide the people by giving tall political promises before the polls. He further asserted both BJP and Congress were two sides of the same coin “as they are parties for the rich.” In the education sector, Sarkar claimed foreign investors were called in so that only rich could study in such private institutions when several government schools and institutions are on the verge of closure. (PTI)
