DIMAPUR: Even after the major political parties have fielded candidates for the February 27 Nagaland assembly polls, worries bubbled up for BJP. The ruling party at the Centre hits a major hurdle in the pre poll political landscape as soon as the central leaders struck poll deal with NDPP at the instance of Neiphu Rio.
State BJP president who is also heading the poll affairs Visasolie Lhoungu is believed to have shot off a letter to the central leaders opposing the deal. Party sources told Assam Times Lhoungu has been dead opposed to the deal.
“The party leadership at the Centre has done it at the instance of Rio. Never they have talked to Lhoungu. Still we have time to have the second thought. If the Central leadership remain firm we are not responsible for any impending dent in the party’s poll prospect,” said a senior state BJP leader.
He said, ”NDPP has no influence in the grassroot level . Why we need to buy band name by striking poll deal with this unknown or less known party. After all, we are quite disappointed.”
Another BJP leader who refused to be named said,”we are not aware of the deal. Never they have taken us in confidence. We got to know these on Saturday only when Rio and Kiren Rijiju held a press conference in Guwahati. Is it the way?”
Amid utter confusion and disappointment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh are expected to campaign in the state next week.
Nazira paid tribute to the late Aboni Borthakur, a distinguished educationist and former Principal of Nazira College, with a memorial meeting held on Sunday. The event, organized at the Nazira M.C. Club, was presided over by Atul Gogoi, a former Principal of another college.
The gathering saw the presence of several notable figures, including retired professor Dr. Provat Borah, renowned writer Juri Borah Borgohain, Nazira MLA Debabrata Saikia, and CPI leader Kanak Gogoi, among others. The speakers reflected on Borthakur’s contributions to education and society, celebrating his legacy as a thinker and academician.
A highlight of the meeting was the unveiling of a memorial book that...
The demolition of Mahafezkhana, Assam’s oldest surviving concrete structure and a vital piece of Northeast India’s architectural heritage, has triggered widespread outrage. Built between 1855 and 1865, the 160-year-old building—once a custodian of crucial land records during British colonial rule—was razed by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) as part of a park extension and Brahmaputra riverfront beautification project, according to reports published on Sunday.
Senior journalist Mrinal Talukdar expressed his dismay on X, describing the demolition as “not just demolition—this is desecration.” In a series of posts, including one at 2:30 AM IST on March 30 (Post ID:...
The Dhansiri River, a vital tributary of the Brahmaputra, is facing severe pollution due to industrial discharge from the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), as reported by Janani Live, a local news portal from Golaghat. The contamination has raised alarms among environmentalists and local communities dependent on the river for irrigation and drinking water.
Growing Pollution Crisis:According to Janani Live, untreated effluents from the refinery have been flowing into the Dhansiri, increasing chemical toxicity and degrading water quality. The river, which originates in Nagaland and flows through Golaghat and Dimapur, is already burdened by urban sewage, agricultural runoff, and sand...
Congress MP and Lok Sabha Deputy Opposition Leader Gaurav Gogoi has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding an investigation into alleged financial irregularities worth approximately ₹70 crore at the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank. According to Gogoi, the scandal involves an outsider businessman, Rajesh Bajaj, who is accused of misappropriating around ₹20 crore, along with an additional ₹50 crore irregularities under the guise of a tender for a data storage system. Gogoi has urged the Prime Minister to order an independent probe into the matter.
In a post on his official X handle, Gogoi stated, “I have written a letter to Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji regarding the...
Assam Minister Ranjit Das has sparked outrage after allegedly using a caste-based slur during an election campaign, prompting protests and a police complaint.
The controversy erupted while Das, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, was campaigning for a ruling coalition candidate in the 30-Bamunigaon constituency of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council on March 18. During a public speech, he referenced India’s four main social groups—"the poor, women, farmers, and youth"—but also used a derogatory word for Scheduled Castes in Assam.
The All Assam Scheduled Caste Youth Students’ Union filed a complaint against Das at Dispur Police Station under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes...
A massive protest erupted today in Sonapur, near Guwahati, as thousands of tribal people gathered to oppose the proposed transfer of vast tracts of land to the Indian Air Force. The demonstration, held at the Sonapur Mini Stadium on Friday, March 28, saw local tribal communities voicing their outrage against what they perceive as an encroachment on their ancestral lands, with slogans such as "We will give our blood, not our land" and "Down with Digaru Air Force" resonating through the air.
The unrest stems from the state government's alleged plan to hand over a significant portion of land in Digaru, close to Sonapur, to the Air Force. This move has sparked widespread anger among the...
The Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court of Kamrup Metropolitan District has granted bail to senior journalist Dilowar Hussain Majumdar in his second case. Following interrogation and searches starting on March 27, Majumdar was produced in court on Friday and released on a bond of 20,000 rupees. The decision came after his advocate, Angshuman Bora, presented arguments in his favor.
Police conducted searches at Majumdar’s residence and business establishments, seizing two dumpers during the operation. In a related case involving the managing director of Apex Bank, the police advocate requested the addition of extra charges, but the court rejected the plea. Due to a delay in submitting...
The Press Club of India (PCI) on Friday sharply criticized Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for attempting to define who qualifies as a “legitimate” journalist, following the re-arrest of senior digital media journalist Dilawar Hussain Mozumder by Assam Police on March 27 evening. Mozumder, assistant general secretary of the Guwahati Press Club (GPC), was detained hours after his bail release in a case involving alleged theft of bank documents while covering a protest tied to a recruitment scam. The PCI demanded Mozumder’s immediate release, accusing the state of undermining press freedom.
The PCI’s statement highlighted Sarma’s remarks as a distraction from the core issue—...
The Shillong Press Club (SPC) has strongly condemned the arrest of senior Assam journalist Dilawar Hussain Mazumdar, issuing a statement denouncing the action. Mazumdar, the chief reporter of Crosscurrent Digital Media, was first arrested on the night of March 25. Although he was granted bail on March 26, he was rearrested on March 27 based on a complaint filed by the managing director of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank.
SPC President D L Syiemlieh stated that the rearrest of Mazumdar shortly after being granted bail is deeply concerning and represents a shocking misuse of legal processes. He emphasized that this action constitutes a direct assault on the freedom of the press and...
An emergency executive meeting of the Guwahati Press Club was held today, March 28, 2025, to address the recent re-arrest of Dilwar Hussein Mazumdar and assess the ensuing situation. The meeting concluded with the announcement of the following action plan to highlight concerns and demand action.
All journalists are urged to wear black badges during duty hours from March 28, 2025, to March 30, 2025, as a mark of protest and solidarity.
A general meeting of journalists has been scheduled for Sunday, March 30, 2025, at 11:30 AM at the Press Club premises. The agenda includes a detailed discussion on the decisions taken during the impromptu meeting held on March 26, 2025. Resolutions will...
Add new comment