Former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta here on Saturday pulled up Union home minister P. Chidambram for his sudden declaratioin to disarm the militant outfits holding ceasefire with the government.
Claiming that it was an attempt to provoke the armed groups for creating trouble, Mr Mahanta told reporters, “Why this step was not taken at the initial stage of peace-talks or before the elections.”
He said, “Mr Chidambram knows that Congress was going to lose the elections and to embarrass the new government of Opposition, he is changing his stand towards the militant outfits in the name of ending the gun culture.”
He clarified that AGP was always in favour of peaceful resolution of conflict but modalities for carrying forward should be worked out at the beginning of ceasefire. “You started the peace-process without asking them to surrender arms and now suddenly after the elections you are asking them to surrender arms is obviously an attempt to provoke them,” said Mr Mahanta who discerned a deep-rooted conspiracy behind the move of the home ministry to disarm the militant outfits engaged in ceasefire with the government.
Mr Mahanta said that ruling Congress Party was trying to remain in power by hook or crook.
“I am worried that money looted in scams by Congress leaders could be used for horse trading also,” he said while advocating the anti-Congress forces to come together.
He asserted that AGP will be the single largest party and form the next government in the state. About chief minister, he said, “Elected members will be electing the leader.”