Split cloud looms over Jamait

Guwahati, June 30: The contours of minority politics in Assam are all set for a change with a split in the state unit of the Jamait-Ulema-i-Hind, the influential minority body that gave birth to the Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF), becoming imminent.

The rift surfaced following a tug-of-war within its central leadership and came at a time when the Congress was gearing up for the Lok Sabha elections.

Sources in the Assam unit of the Jamait said the new equation was already visible with several top Congress leaders like forest minister Rockybul Hussain and former legislator Abdul Jalil Raqbi attending the Jamait convention called by its national president Arshad Madani in Delhi on Friday.

AUDF president Badruddin Ajmal, who is known to be close to general secretary of the Jamait and Samajwadi Party MP Mehmood Madani, was conspicuous by his absence.
Ajmal is also the president of the state unit of the Jamait.

Though Ajmal and his loyalists did not attend the convention, the general secretary of the Jamait’s state unit, Abdur Rashid, led a 167-member delegation to the convention.
Arshad Madani is known to be close to the Congress.

“If Arshad Madani takes control over the central committee of the Jamait, then its state unit could back the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections,” one of the AUDF leaders said.
He said a rift in the central committee was bound to affect the AUDF as it banks heavily on the Jamait for support.

“If the state unit of the Jamait too suffers a split which looks inevitable, then the AUDF will be the biggest loser.”

The state unit of the Congress got into poll mode today with chief minister Tarun Gogoi declaring that the Congress-led government was ready for an early general election.
“We are fully prepared for the polls,” Gogoi said.

source: http://telegraphindia.com/1080701/jsp/northeast/story_9486562.jsp

12-hr bandh brings Assam to a standstill

GUWAHATI/SILCHAR/JORHAT: 10 Jun 2008, 0322 hrs IST,TNN
A 12-hour bandh by opposition parties and transport organizations on Monday brought life to a standstill in Assam. The AGP and BJP called the bandh in protest against the rise in prices of essential commodities and petroleum products. The strike was complete in upper and lower Assam, Barak valley and Guwahati. The government had also beefed up security across the state. In the Barak valley, police arrested hundreds of bandh supporters. Many transport associations and workers' unions called a chakka jam in protest against the hike in fuel prices. The bandh was supported by the AUDF, SUCI, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Left and other non-Congress parties.