Guwahati:
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) chief Arabinda Rajkhowa was released on Saturday after a year in jail. Rajkhowa was granted bail on Thursday by a designated TADA court with the Assam government filing no objection to it to facilitate peace talks.
"We are ready for talks with the Government. There are no ideological differences within the ULFA. I hope that the people are not affected by any decision that we take. We aim for the welfare of the people. Today, we declare that we are ready to take the talks forward," Rajkhowa, 54, said after being released from the Guwahati Central Jail.
Rajkhowa will now be allowed to go to his home in upper Assam after over 30 years since he went underground after the formation of ULFA in 1979.
He was arrested after being handed over by the Bangladesh authorities in November last year at the Meghalaya border.
ULFA's self-styled vice chairman Pradip Gogoi, deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah, cultural secretary Pranati Deka and publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary have been earlier released on bail, as also senior leader and political ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain.
Rajkhowa was one of the two persons heading the outfit banned for terror activities. Rajkhowa was one of the founders of ULFA and his release is meant to isolate the outfit's actual command control, its commander in chief Paresh Baruah who is still at large.
Rajkhowa will have the support of majority of ULFA's Central Committee members, its top decision making body. In the next few weeks, rapid developments are expected. The government's interlocutor, PC Halder, has been meeting these leaders over the last few months but it is not clear what the broad roadmap may be, though it appears that the government will offer a rehabilitation package.