NEW DELHI, March 1 ? Infuriated by the delay in resolution of the logjam over implementation of the mega gas cracker project, Assam Government is likely to explore the possibility of handing over the project to public sector oil company. As a first step in this direction, Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi today held discussions with Members of Parliament (MPs) belonging to Assam this evening to consider all pros and cons. A dinner meeting was hosted by Chief Minister to felicitate an interaction on the gas cracker project and the financial crisis with the State?s 21 MPs belonging to both the Houses...

GUWAHATI, March 1 ? Noted environment activist Medha Patkar today sounded all the North Eastern States to guard their interests against the Central government?s move to link all the river basins in the country. The Save Narmada Movement crusader, Smt Patkar raised the alarm against the proposed river networking terming it an effort to market and corporatise rivers in the country by the vested politicos in connivance with corporate houses.

Addressing the media here today midway her nationawide tour on bahalf of National Alliance of People?s Movement (NAPM), Smt Patkar stated that it was...

AIZAWL, March 1 ? The Mizoram state Assembly Speaker R. Vanlal Awia has denied having any foreknowledge of the Delimitation Commission?s proposed re-organisation of the state?s Assembly constituencies as insinuated by a local daily. The vernacular daily published a letter the Speaker had sent to the Delimitation Commission (DC) Chairman, Justice Kuldip Singh in which the Speaker had stated his desire for Hmunzawl village in the Lungpho constituency to be placed in N Vanlaiphai constituency, which is the Speaker?s constituency. The letter was dated February 13, 2003.

Awia denied having any...

GUWAHATI, March 1: Congress candidate Kripanath Malah today won the Ratabari Assembly by-election in Assam defeating his nearest BJP rival Sambhu Singh Mallah by 31,170 votes. The Congress candidate polled 49,104 votes, while his opponent got 17,934 votes, election office sources said from Ratabari in Karimganj district.

AGARTALA, March 1 ? Tripura Governor, Lt. Gen (Retd) K M Seth dissolved the Tripura Assembly to avert a constitutional crisis. The Governor issued the notification in this regard on Saturday since the dissolution of the Assembly became necessary as the gap between the period of the last and the next sessions would go beond six months after March 4, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar told reporters.

Sarkar said ?six months? time will be completed on March 4 and there is no scope of forming ministry before March 4, so he dissolved the Assembly.? The election to the 60-member House in Tripura was...