Asom ready for panchayat polls after smooth conduct of Games

Guwahati, Feb 14 (UNI) With the National Games going on peacefully so far, the Asom Government is bracing for panchayat elections in the state even as intelligence reports suggest ULFA may resume strikes after the sporting event is over.

The threat of ULFA strikes was looming large over the sporting event after the banned outfit proclaimed a boycott of the games.

There was a sense of jubilation among authorities due to the peaceful conduct of the games so far and they were keeping their fingers crossed for the upcoming panchayat polls too, sources added.

Highly placed sources in security forces suggest ULFA might resume strikes after the games.

Intelligence sources said there was lack of information regarding the full organisation of the banned outfit. Though we know for sure about their Battalion 28 and 1 -- active in upper and lower Asom respectively -- their modus operandi was still not fully understood, they added.

''The lower rung of ULFA suspects that the top leaders had come to some sort of monetary understanding with the Government to withdraw the boycott call during the National Games. Although there is no veracity but to keep the flock united ULFA will restart attacks,'' the sources said.

''We must admit that, in the last couple of years, the intelligence has been poor and we do not even have profiles of ULFA mid-rung leaders,'' they said.

However, they denied comment on reports emanating from New Delhi that the ongoing visit of Union Home Ministry's team to Myanmar would enable a better understanding and peace, with the Asom government playing a more ''proactive role''.

Reports also suggest that the peace process between ULFA and the state government would resume.

UNI