AIZAWL, May 14 – Despite several political parties forming an alliance to defeat the ruling Mizo National Front in the lone Lok Sabha seat in the State, the Front emerged winner. MNF's Vanlalzawma defeated his main rival Laltluangliana Khiangte, an independent backed by Congress, the Mizoram People's Congress (MPC) and the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP), by a margin of 23,694 votes, a huge margin for a total electorate of five lakh. Vanlalzawma polled 1,82,864 votes and Khiangte secured 1,59,170 while Tlangdingliana of Ephraim Union managed to get only 6,514.

This time, the MNF polled 52.95...

SHILLONG, May 14 – The poll verdict from Meghalaya's two Lok Sabha seats which returned both the incumbent MPs back to Parliament was on expected lines, reports PTI. Nationalist Trinamool Congress leader Purno Agitok Sangma retained his Tura seat for eighth time in a row and Congress veteran P R Kyndiah made a hat-trick from Shillong seat. Sangma, who reduced his winning margin to 72,763 this time from over 1.13 lakh in 1999 hustings, had proved he was still a 'force' to reckon with in North-east nothwithstanding the reverses he suffered in the run-up to the polls by losing the NCP symbol to...

PATACHARKUCHI, May 14: Squirrels are posing serious threats to betel nut cultivation in the entire area under Bajali sub-division of Barpeta district for the last few years. The area was once considered famous for the production of betel nut and cononut, but now the production is decreasing at an alarming rate due to the squirrel menace.

Squirrels were not seen earlier in the locality at all but it is spreading at an alarming rate. The squirrels have damaged the nuts on a large scale at early stages. The squirrels bore holes even in the hard shells of dry coconut fruits, with their sharp...

Imphal, May 13: Thokchom Meinya Singh of the Congress beat nearest rival Moirangthem Nara Singh of the CPI, a partner in the ruling coalition of Manipur, with a huge margin to bag the Inner seat. Counting for the Outer will be held on May 19. Immediately after his election, which saw the sitting Lok Sabha MP Thounaojam Chaoba Singh of BJP relegated to a poor fourth, Meinya Singh said Manipur’s territorial integrity would top his agenda as a parliamentarian. “I will not compromise on the issue of Manipur’s territorial integrity,” he told a party celebration at the state headquarters, Congress...

Agartala, May 13: Growing debt, sharply rising liability in non-plan expenses and non-receipt of dues from the Centre have triggered a major crisis for the cash-strapped government of Tripura. The state government will find it difficult to meet expenses on salary and pension bills. A senior official in the finance department said the government had passed a budget of Rs 2991.84 crore with an uncovered deficit of Rs 68 crore.

“We expected that payment of outstanding dues from the award of the 11th Finance Commission and fresh grants on non-plan head from the 12th Finance Commission would help...