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The failure of the Centre to agree to some of the demands of the banned Bodo Liberation Tigers has delayed a proposed accord with the outfit, due to be signed on Thursday, highly placed Assam government sources told rediff.com late on Thursday night.
Some of the demands made by the BLT like the establishment of a central university, a medical college and a couple of direct central involvement projects in the proposed autonomous territory, will need the approval of the Union Cabinet, sources said. "Since such approvals take at least three months, the BLT leaders wanted an assurance that the Centre would not go back on its word after signing the accord."
The BLT negotiators will meet Union Home Minister L K Advani on Friday to put forward their point of view, Assam Chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta told rediff.com from New Delhi. Mahanta had a 40-minute meeting with Advani on Thursday.
According Union home ministry sources, the package is already set up but small technical problems need to be taken care of before a formal accord is signed.
The BLT has been observing a ceasefire with the government since March 2000. At least three rounds of talks were held before the terms of the new pact were finalised.
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