Guwahati: The Asom Gana Parishad on Thursday
expressed concern over the holding of elections to three
tribal Autonomous Council bodies by Welfare of Plain Tribes
and Backward Class department and not by the State Election
Election (SEC) for the first time in Assam.
AGP General Secretary Sarbananda Sonowal told
reporters here that the decision of the government to hold
elections to the Tiwa, Thengal Kachari and Deuri Autonomous
Councils through the WPT&BC department was "biased and this
would not ensure free and fair polls."
He appealed to prominent organisations of these
communities to take up the issue with the government as it
amounts to violation of the Constitution.
Sonowal demanded that the elections be held by the
state election commission and not by any other department.
The AGP will contest the forthcoming elections and was
working on reaching an agreement on electoral adjustments with
non-Congress parties and some tribal organisations who believe
in development as "our sole enemy is the Congress," Sonowal
added.
The elections to the three tribal Councils was
scheduled for June six.
PTI
