ULFA pro-talk faction to be dissolved before forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, says Anup Chetia

Speaking to ETV Bharat, ULFA pro-talk faction general secretary Anup Chetia said that after the General Council meeting held at Kohora in Kaziranga in the state, the decision was taken to dissolve the outfit.

Guwahati (Assam): The separatist militant group United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) pro-talk faction will be officially dissolved ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to ETV Bharat, ULFA pro-talk faction general secretary Anup Chetia said that after the General Council meeting held at Kohora in Kaziranga in the state, the decision was taken to dissolve the outfit.

After the meeting was over on Wednesday night, Chetia speaking over the phone, said that the peace talks between ULFA and the government were progressing forward. "We will reach an agreement with the government and a deal will be inked before the next Lok Sabha elections," he said.

The General Council meeting was chaired by the president of the negotiating group of the militant organisation Arvind Rajkhowa. The meeting was attended by more than 200 members. The members of the General Council approved some major decisions regarding the peace process.

The ULFA pro-talk faction will be dissolved one month after the signing of the tripartite agreement between the Government of India and the Assam government and it was approved by the General Council at the meeting. After the official dissolution of the organisation, the ULFA leaders and members will have the full freedom to join any party or organisation or they can take part in other activities.

Currently, it is a subject of political discussion in Assam that several ULFA leaders, including Sasha Choudhury, who is the foreign secretary of the outfit, will join a national political party after the signing of the peace agreement. Such leaders have not denied joining another organisation.

ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia also said that the talks between ULFA and the government were in the final stage and the tripartite agreement is expected to be signed before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the organisation will be officially dissolved a month after the agreement.

The draft of the proposed agreement was discussed in detail at the meeting and it was approved by the General Assembly of the ULFA. The meeting also approved the signing authority of the tripartite agreement. The ULFA came into existence in 1979 with the purpose of setting up of independent Assam. The organisation's non-negotiating group is still operating from the jungle of Myanmar its army chief Paresh Baruah. The outfit is called the ULFA (Independent) non-negotiating group. They are recruiting new members till now.