Guwahati: The ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) has returned to cast its violent shadow over the coming election in Assam, which has borne the brunt of militancy in the Northeast.

Though its backbone was broken in the operation against its cadre in Bhutan, it still has potential left to cause disruption during poll, think prominent Assam leaders.

The Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi's warning yesterday (Apr 5, 2004) of a possible strike by the dreaded organisation during poll was only a timely reminder to the political aspirants as well as the administration.

Ironically, Gogoi's Congress party was accused by the Opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) during the last Assembly election with having entered into a "secret pact" with the ULFA.

Although the outfit as before has not yet issued a boycott election call, the Chief Minister said that there is every reason to believe that the insurgents may strike during the coming poll.

The Chief Minister revealed that there were intelligence reports that the ultras would aim at soft targets to make their presence felt after the Bhutan operation which has left them in a state of disarray.

Gogoi said that additional forces had been sought from the Centre and action was taken to prevent such attacks.

''We also want the ULFA camps in Myanmar, Bangladesh and Arunachal Pradesh to be demolished and the militants flushed out,'' he said.

The State BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) president, Indramoni Bora, said that the violence by ULFA had been a regular feature and this time too the banned outfit may like to make its presence felt.

''During the last Lok Sabha election our party was one of the worst sufferers losing two partymen to ULFA violence. So we cannot take the matter lightly,'' he said.

''There is always this danger of a strike-back as it has demonstrated recently by blowing oil pipelines and indulging in sporadic attacks on security forces," Bora said.

Only this time the ULFA has not openly issued any statement of its intention to support a political party, he said.

The former Assam Chief Minister and AGP leader, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, however, chose to be circumspect, saying, ''One has to wait and watch during the run-up to the poll before making any comment.''

''The visit of the Prime Minister tomorrow and other senior leaders is important and only after their trips can the current situation be assessed,'' he said.