Assam rebels urge election boycott

Separatist rebels in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam have called on the local population to boycott general elections starting next month.

They said the elections would do nothing towards achieving their objective of a seperate Assamese state.

Correspondents say the rebels, from the United Liberation Front of Assam, are expected to cause violent disruptions during the election campaign.

The statement from ULFA coincided with a speech at a rally in Assam's capital, Guwahati, by Sonia Gandhi the widow of the former Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi.

In her short speech, Mrs Gandhi avoided criticism of either the separatists or Assam's ruling party, the Asom Gana Parishad, which is part of the coalition United Front government.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service