Surrendered Bru militants join Congress

Silchar, Oct 22 (UNI) All the 305 United Liberation Front of Barak Valley (ULFBV) militants, who had laid their arms before Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi recently, today joined the Congress at a function in Hailakandi.

District (Hailakandi) Congress president Ashoke Dutta Gupta formally handed over the party membership to the militants, including ULFBV chairman Pancharam Apeto Reang, who was nominated as working president of the tribal cell of the district Congress committee.

Six of his colleagues had also been accommodated in the executive committee of the party.

After the joining ceremony was over, Pancharam Apeto said the process took the final shape in a meeting with Assam Border Area Development and Excise Minister Gautom Roy on last Monday in Hailakandi.

''We have some precondition to joining the Congress. These are electrification of the Bishuram basti and the adjoining areas of Hailakandi, where Bru (Reang) population live, construction of road and bridges in the tribal belt near Mizoram border and establishment of number of schools in the area. The Minister and the Congress leadership have agreed to fulfil our demands,'' the ex-rebel said.

UNI XC SJC ATI SB HS1820