Congress leader shot dead, panic among party workers

Guwahati, Jan 29 (UNI) Congress activists, especially in Upper Asom, are prepared to leave the party fold following ULFA's threat of 'dire consequences', even as a block-level Congress leader in Sibsagar district was killed by the outfit.

The banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had warned Congress supporters in the state to quit the party or face 'dire consequences', forcing the party workers to go underground.

In the latest incident today, vice-president of the Charaideo block Congress Khagen Chetia in Mahmara in Sibsagar district was shot dead by ULFA militants.

This was the third death of a Congressman since the past week with reports of many more attacks by suspected ULFA militants.

As the attacks on the Congress workers increased, the party activists were reported to be quitting the party en masse.

Many party workers in Upper Asom were reported to have left their homes and gone into hiding. Still others were reported to have taken shelter in capital city Guwahati.

The Pradesh unit of the Congress had launched a campaign to pacify the supporters with the president of the state unit running an advertisement in all daily newspapers of the state recently.

In accelerated attacks on Congressmen, the former general secretary of Sonari College, a party worker, in Sibsagar district was shot dead on the night of January 26. The same night also witnessed a grenade attack at the Sonari Rajiv Bhawan, though there were no injuries due to the late hour of the attack.

The Republic Day was set as the deadline for the Congress supporters to resign from the party membership.

General secretary of the Upper Majuli Block Congress Buddheswar Bez was hacked to death by ULFA militants on the night of January 24. As many as four workers resigned from the Congress in the wake of the killing.

Gaon Panchayat president of Rangasahi Gaon was also physically assaulted by unidentified youths in the same area.

Suspected militants had attacked a Congressman at Namtola gate in Sibsagar district.

As many as 20 members of the Nowholia Mondal Congress had resigned from the party a few days back and sent their resignations to the Dibrugarh district Congress president.

All office bearers of the Sadiya block Congress, some members of Tinsukia Zilla Parishad, members of Tinsukia district Youth Congress, members of Hapjan Anchalik Parishad and members of the Tea Cell and the Barphapjan Gaon panchayat had also repeatedly put in their papers.

The Congress workers had submitted their resignation citing ULFA threat to their lives and lack of security, though the Congress headquarters refused to confirm it and called it a 'misinformation campaign'.

UNI