SHILLONG, May 10 – Former chief minister of Meghalaya E K Mawlong has been replaced by Donkupar Roy, the Deputy Chief Minister, as the chief of United Democratic Party, the second largest constituent of the Congress-led coalition government in Meghalaya, reports PTI. Mawlong was the chief of the UDP from 1997.

Mawlong, whose coalition government fell on December 7, 2001 following alleged involvement in the controversial Meghalaya House deal in Kolkata and defeat in this year’s Assembly elections, was made an advisor to the UDP at Friday’s general council elections, party sources said. The UDP...

Shillong, May 9: The United Democratic Party (UDP) today elected Meghalaya deputy chief minister Donkupar Roy as party president, triggering strong protests from supporters of outgoing president and former chief minister, E.K. Mawlong.

Refusing to accept Roy as president, Mawlong’s supporters threatened to quit the party.

Addressing newsmen after the election, which was conducted at the fourth general council meeting of the UDP, Roy said the decision to remove Mawlong was unanimous.

“If there was any objection, it should have been raised during the election,” he said.

Ruling out the UDP’s...

NEW DELHI, May 9 — The Union Government in a surprise move, tabled the controversial draft IMDT Bill catching the Opposition unawares, even as the Congress party staged a walkout in protest against the tabling of the Bill. Uncertainty over the creation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) was resolved, when the Union Government tabled two Bills proposing to amend the Sixth Schedules of the Constitution and the Article 332(6) of the Constitution. The contentious proposal to accord Schedule Tribe (Hills) to the Bodo living in the two hills districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills...

GUWAHATI, May 9 — Even as the bill to repeal the IMDT Act was tabled in the Parliament today, hectic activities are on in the State among the protagonist and adversaries of the controversial act to mobilise public opinion in favour of their respective stands. While the BJP today took out a procession from Fancy Bazar to the DC’s court in the city exhorting support to the move to repeal the Act, the United Minorities Front (UMF) has convened a meeting of the like minded organisations to evolve a strategy for saving the Act or to find out an alternative to save the Indian minorities of...

GUWAHATI, May 9 – The river police force, set up in 1979 to check illegal infiltration from across the border, to check crimes and to prevent smuggling, has not been able to perform as per the expectations due to years of neglect by successive Governments, while, a proposal for setting up a full fledged battalion of river police is pending before the Government of India. Assam has more than 247 kilometre of international border with Bangladesh, of which 110 kilometre is riverine border. Of the riverine international border, 46 kilometre is in Dhubri district, 41 kilometre in Karimganj district...