Shillong, Jan. 27: Music, both traditional and western, has often been a key feature of electioneering in Meghalaya. But the Nationalist Congress Party?s latest innovation ? release of an audio cassette in praise of Purno A. Sangma ? has created ripples, especially among rural voters in Garo Hills.

The album, Chadambe Chasong Gitalrang (Youth of the new generation), ?very musically? appeals to the voters to vote the party to power.

?It is a different experience to hear such good Garo songs and that too on elections,? said Balsa Marak as she sang a line from the title song, P.A. Sangma...

JIRANIA, Jan 27 ? Suspected National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) (Biswamohan) militants massacred 11 non-tribals including women and children at Mandai Choumuhani, Jirania, in West Tripura district on the night of Republic Day celebration. Six more were injured in the attack and three of them are in serious condition, doctors said. All the deceased and injured were CPI(M) supporters. The area where the attack was committed is about 32 kms from capital Agartala and only about 6 kms from infamous Mandai where the 1980 June riots had taken place to mark the beginning of protracted...

AGARTALA, Jan 25? Congress released its candidate list for 42 constituencies out of total 60 list Friday night after three months long brainstorming meetings and discussions in New Delhi and Agartala. And with the announcement, as it was anticipated, serious reactions sparked off in various constituents as rival factions of the nominated candidates express their resentment through protest march. There were also reports of crude bombs going off and putting the Congress offices under lock and key by agitated party workers. There were more than 245 aspirants belonging to various groups. As...

ITANAGAR, Jan 24? Arunachal Pradesh had never been a party in the peace talks between the Centre and the NSCN(I-M) and would never compromise with its territorial integrity, State Chief Minister Mukut Mithi said today, reports PTI. In the name of ?Greater Nagaland?, the NSCN had no scope to demand the territory of Arunachal Pradesh as the area was never part of Nagaland, the Chief Minister told PTI after a swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan Friday.

The government of Arunachal Pradesh, he said, had already made its stand clear by adopting a unanimous resolution in the assembly in...

Itanagar, Jan. 25: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Mukut Mithi today said the state was preparing to hold panchayat elections in a couple of months and the state election commission would soon announce the dates. Talking to reporters after a Cabinet expansion, Mithi said his government had provided Rs 4.5 crore to the state election commission towards poll preparations.

J.M. Tangu, a former bureaucrat, has been appointed chairman of the state election commission, he said.

Mithi said his government would soon bring into effect the Anti-Defection Ordinance.

?The delimitation of the three-tier...