Halder's date with Rajkhowa, ULFA chief's release soon

The preparation for the proposed ULFA-government peace process beefs up on Friday when government appointed interlocutor P C Haldar discussed the modalities of the talks with Arabinda Rajkhowa in the morning at the Guwahati Central Jail.

The authorities are tightlipped about the development. But according to sources, the former intelligence bureau chief and Rajkhowa are understood to have discussed modaltities for holding talks by January, 2011. Haldar, who arrived in Guwahati hold several rounds of crucial meeting with a few rebel outfits. Harlder's date with Rajkhowa assumes significance on Friday a day after a local TADA court reserved its final judgment on Rajkhow'a bail plea to December 20.

The government has informed the court that it will have no objection to the Rajkhowa's bail petition. With this, prospects of a dialogue between the government and the ULFA has brightened further.

As expected, the government paved the way for release of the ULFA chairman from jail as it raised no objection to Rajkhowa's bail plea. Government counsel Pradeep Gogoi made a written submission before the designated court on Thursday where the top ULFA leader was produced. Rajkhowa has 6 TADA cases pending against him in the court bearing No 1/98, 9/98, 32/01, 43/01, 42/01 and 84/92 are pending against the ULFA leader. Rajkhowa had filed his bail petitions on December 6 last in the wake of release of five other top leaders of the banned outfit on bail during the last six months.

The ULFA chief was arrested along with the outfits finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika and foreign secretary Sasadhar Choudhury who were picked up in Bangladesh and handed over to Indian authorities at Dawki border post in Meghalaya in December last year. Since then they have been languishing in the Guwahati Central Jail.

On the other hand, Haldar also held talks with DHD(J) top cadres including Daniel Dimasa in kahilipara.