Guwahati/Nalbari, June 27: A senior pro-talks Ulfa leader who will be visiting Bangladesh to meet Anup Chetia, is likely to be selected after the ensuing rounds of talks with the Centre in Delhi on June 29.
Chetia, the outfit's general secretary, is in protective custody of Dhaka.
Kamal Kachari, a senior member of the outfit's publicity wing, told The Telegraph in Nalbari that the issue of sending a senior Ulfa leader or two to Dhaka will be discussed in the next round of talks.
"The Centre is keen to send one senior leader. He will be selected after discussions between Ulfa and the Centre on June 29 in Delhi," he said on a day a seven-member team of the outfit left for Delhi to sit in the sixth round of talks with the Centre.
Sources in the chief minister's office echoed Kachari, saying the chances of a leader or two being selected to visit Dhaka looked bright during the June 29 talks. It is understood that pro-talks Ulfa leaders, including chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, has applied for Indian passport.
Talks of the Centre trying to include Chetia has been doing the rounds since the peace process with the pro-talks team began last year. With Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Barua not responding to peace overtures, Chetia's presence in the ongoing process has become that much necessary given his standing in the outfit.
Kachari said the seven Ulfa leaders included Arabinda Rajkhowa, Chitraban Hazarika, Raju Baruah, Sashadhar Choudhury, Mithinga Daimary, Pranati Deka and Pradip Gogoi. Union home secretary R.K. Singh, Assam government representatives, Centre's interlocutor for peace talks P.C. Haldar would be present at the talks.
"Already we, the pro-talks faction of Ulfa, have held five rounds of successful talks. We are hopeful about the next round being as successful so that the ongoing peace process concludes at the earliest. The charter of demands prepared by the Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan will be discussed," Kachari said. Ceasefire ground rules will also come up for discussions.
The pro-talks team will also try to meet either UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or home minister P. Chidambaram on June 30.
