Congressmen on the run in Asom

Guwahati, Feb 1 (UNI) Ahead of the National Games it is a race of a different kind in Asom with several local party workers are running to media houses to publish their resignation letters following an ULFA threat to them.

With the government focussing on the National Games, Congress workers in rural areas have either gone underground, escaped to Guwahati or simply resigned.

''It is true that the ULFA is targeting our workers but the Congress will withstand it. It has given far greater sacrifice to safeguard the motherland,'' said party's state president Bhubaneshwar Kalita.

The ULFA had specifically targeted the ruling party workers announcing that death of every of their cadre would be avenged by killing five Congressmen.

''There will be no mercy. The Congress has to pay the price,'' said ULFA newsletter 'Freedom'.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, however, insisted on continuing the Army operation. ''There would be no relaxation,'' he emphasised.

Panic had gripped Congress workers in Upper Asom following the diktat of the banned ULFA to them to resign from the party.

Every day hundreds of party members are running from one media house to another to publish their resignation letters. The ULFA insisted that mere resignation would not be enough but it has to be published through a newspaper.

Five Congressmen were killed during last fortnight, most of them belonging to rural areas. The members had also demanded security and had either rushed to Guwahati or were camping in various hotels of the state.

''Hundreds have just disappeared, trying to keep low profile till the threat is over,'' Sarat Barktakuy, the former Congress minister and a senior MLA of the party in upper Asom, said and asked them not to panic.

The police also asked Congressmen not to venture out after sunset.

''Forget sunset, we are scared to go out of house in broad daylight,'' said a senior Congressman from Jorhat, whose offices were either locked or deserted.

The ULFA had so far destroyed two party offices in Sibsagar districts and tried to lob a grenade inside Doom Dooma residence of Congress legislator, Durga Bhumij, on Sunday.

UNI