Jailed ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa is ready for a political solution to the vexed insurgency issue through talks, member of a group constituted by the outfit claimed on Tuesday in Guwahat even as the government said it was ready for dialogue even without the participation of its 'commander' Paresh Baruah.
"Rajkhowa favours a political solution to the ULFA problems if the government is sincere and creates a suitable environment for peace talks," Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) member Lachit Bordoloi told reporters after meeting Rajkhowa in the Guwahati Central Jail.
Rajkhowa, however, expressed doubts over the government's sincerity in creating a congenial atmosphere for the talks, he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said talks could be held without the participation of the outlawed outfit's 'Commander-in-Chief', Paresh Baruah.
"If soldiers want to come for talks, what is the need of the general. A general is nobody without his soldiers", Gogoi told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting here.
He said "there is hope that the talks can be taken forward. But it is difficult to say now to what level that will progress".
On providing medical help to Rajkhowa as per the orders of the Kamrup chief judicial magistrate, his counsel Bijon Mahajan said, "treatment has not been provided to his dental and diabetic problems. If it is denied any further, we will move the court".
Rajkhowa and 'Deputy Commander-in-Chief' Raju Baruah after their remand to judicial custody on Saturday, have been lodged in a cell of the jail where four other top leaders are also incarcerated.
Other leaders in the cell are ULFA 'Vice-president', Pradip Gogoi, 'Foreign Secretary', Sashadhar Choudhury, 'Finance Secretary' Chitrabon Hazarika and 'Publicity Secretary', Mithinga
