Monday, March 10, 2008

Kuki Students’ Organisation has expressed shock over the gunbattle between two Kuki outfits

IMPHAL, Mar 9 : Close on the heels of the ongoing HSLC and HSSLC examination, Kuki Students’ Organisation has expressed shock over the gunbattle between two Kuki outfits on March 8. Maintaining that such violent activities would only result in a fear psychosis in the minds of the students, KSO appealed to the outfits concerned not to repeat the same in future.

The student body besides claiming that the exam centres in Sadar Hills are no longer marred with unfair means, it also asked the BSEM officials to visit the centres in the hill areas more frequently to get a feel of it. KSO Ukhrul district meanwhile, appointed Thangkholun Baite, Janglenlal Haokip, Letkholun Khongsai and Khaiminthang Touthang as president, general secretary, finance secretary and information secretary respectively.

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Post bomb attack : Tight security measures taken up in Imp

By Our Staff Reporter

IMPHAL, Mar 9 : Following the audacious bomb attack at the premises of the State Assembly by the proscribed PREPAK yester- day, security has been beefed up all over Imphal, particularly around the Assembly complex today.

That the State Government has taken the matter seriously and is determined not to allow the recurrence of such an incident, the number of IRB personnel stationed at the Assembly complex has been increased from 15 to 21 since yesterday evening.

In an apparent move to secure foolproof security for the Assembly complex, IRB personnel are now deployed at all the four towers located in the four corners of the complex, said M Samu, Secretary-in-charge of the Assembly.

Due to lack of man power security personnel were deployed at only two towers earlier, he said while speaking to The Sangai Express today.

Samu also said that the chief security officer of the Assembly had urged the Police Department to allot four more security personnel at the Assembly, prior to the start of the Budget session, which is currently underway.

The road running just adjacent to the Assembly on its northern side and which connects it to NH-39 along Kanglapat near the GM Hall has also been sealed.

This road is generally opened to the public when the House is not in session.

Taking a serious note of the bomb attack, a high level security meeting convened by DGP Y Joykumar was held today morning.

The meeting was attended by high ranking police officers including the IGPs, DIGs, SPs and COs, said a source and added that the meeting reviewed the overall security arrangements being made in Imphal. This was done in the backdrop of the bomb attack at the Assembly premises, despite the high security cordon around the House, added the source.

Striking a tough pose, the DGP instructed all the police officers to be on the alert so as to ensure that such audacious attack does not recur, informed the source.

As part of the beefed up security measures, frisking exercise was intensified at Imphal today.

On the other hand, the SPs who have been transferred after the bomb attack will take charge of their new assignments tomorrow, said the source further.

Reacting strongly against the bomb attack, Speaker of the House Dr Sapam Budhichandra hinted that a meeting of all the Legislators may be held tomorrow to discuss the matter.

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Nagaland election, DAN stakes claim to form next Govt

Kohima, Mar 9: The Democratic Alliance of Nagaland with 34 members, including four Independents, met the Nagaland Governor K Sankaranarayanan this evening and formally staked claim to form the next Government in the State.

After electing Neiphiu Rio as the DAN legislature party leader, the MLAs of NPF (26), BJP (2) and NCP (2), accompanied by Lok Sabha MP of NPF W Konyak, met the Governor.

The four Independents told the Governor that they have formed a group and would extend support to Rio as the DAN legislature party leader besides extending individual support.

The result of one more seat Suruhuto is awaited as repolling will be held there tomorrow, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said.

Nephiu Rio elected DAN legislature party leader

: The NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland, which claimed to have received 'committed support' from four Independents, elected Neiphiu Rio as the DAN legislature party leader after a meeting this afternoon. The alliance is likely to stake claim to form the next Government. Winning 30 seats out of 59 results declared in the 60-member assembly, just one short of the absolute majority, the four-party alliance said it might meet the Governor today itself.

Nagaland People's Front, which emerged as the single largest party winning 25 seats, is expected to wrest another seat in Zunheboto district where counting of votes at three assembly segments commenced this noon. The office of the Chief Electoral Officer said repoll at four polling stations under three constituencies yesterday passed off peacefully with a good turnout. DAN sources said the alliance, comprising NPF (26), NCP (2) and BJP (2), had already mustered committed support from three Independents yesterday itself as soon as the election results were declared. However, they refused to divulge the names.

Meanwhile, hectic politicking is on in the state after yesterday's poll results.

The Congress, which expects to win at least one more seat in Zunheboto that would take its tally to 24, is also likely to make a last-ditch attempt to form government seeking support from 'legislators of like-minded parties' in the opposite camp and Independents.

Running neck-and-neck with NPF, the Congress secured second position with 23 seats. NPCC sources today hinted that it would 'not be so difficult' for the party to muster a working majority if it wins two more seats pointing out that the pre-poll alliance of DAN was "a loose arrangement and in politics anything can happen".

But NPCC president Hokheto Sumi immediately after the March five elections had said if the party failed to cross the 25 mark, it would prefer to sit in the opposition.

For both DAN and Congress, it would be a difficult job to provide a stable regime depending much on Independents as the size of Nagaland ministry is 12, including the chief minister, under the new anti-defection rules. PTI

The Sangai Express

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