Nalbari, (Lower Assam) May 4
Amidst loud claims of the erosion of the mass base of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) by both the Centre and the state government and a war-like security arrangement, the militant outfit has unleashed a series of strikes targetted at the Asom Gana Parishad and its alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In a fresh pre-poll violence, barely a day ahead of the scheduled visit of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to the state, eight activists of the ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) ULFA militants were killed when suspected attacked the AGP office in Bogrihati, 80 km west of the Guwahati late on Thursday.

“A group of heavily-armed ULFA militants stormed the election office and opened indiscriminate fire with automatic weapons killing six party AGP activists and injuring as many,” a state police spokesman said. Incidentally, the latest string of strikes by suspected ULFA militants have been launched in the district of Nalbari, home of the ULFAs deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah.

In a separate incident on the same day, 16 persons including 14 AGP workers and two home guard personnel were injured when suspected ULFA militants lobbed grenades on the AGP office at Tilapara in Goalpara districts in southern Assam. Two of the injured are reported to be in a critical condition.

The attacks are the latest in a series of poll-related violence by the ULFA in the run-up to the May 10 elections in Assam.

More than 46 people have been killed in the past month in election related violence, including an election candidate of the BJP party. While BJP candidate, Mr Jayanta Dutta, was shot dead in Dibrugarh, an AGP candidate for the Barpeta seat, Kumar Dipak Das, was seriously injured and he may end up losing both his legs following an attack on him two days earlier.

Jolted by the recent spate of violence, an unprecedented ring of security has been deployed in the state in anticipation of poll-related violence.

Nearly 35,000 Army and paramilitary personnel have been deployed throughout the state to combat the ULFA militants and provide security to ensure a trouble free poll on May 10.

Meanwhile, the AGP continued its mud-slinging match against the Congress and maintained that the recent spate of violence was conspired by the Congress in connivance with the banned militant outfit.

Party MP, Arun Sarma, said that the reluctance of the Congress in openly condemning the fresh strikes by militants only strengthens the perception about the handiwork of the Congress in the episode.

However, despite putting up a brave face, panic appears to have stemmed into the ranks of the AGP and the imposition of the blanket ban by the party high command to refrain from electioneering after dark has only added to the fear of the ordinary worker.

Even as the state governor projected that an estimated 70 per cent voter turnout would be registered on May 10, the mood within the political parties is not as upbeat. Voters will turnout only if the Congress and the ULFA allows a free and fair poll to be held, a state BJP party official said.

The General Secretary of the AGP, Mr Birendra Baishya, said the Congress after being pushed to the wall is trying to recreate a reign of terror.