Sunday, April 16 2006 15:19 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Congress has called off today's (Apr 16, 2006) statewide bandh following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance that the work of raising the dam height would not be stopped, a senior party leader said.

"The Gujarat Congress has decided to call off the bandh after the Prime Minister's assurance," Senior Gujarat Congress leader Arjun Modhvadia told sources over phone from New Delhi. He said the Prime Minister had assured the Members of Parliament, who had met him, that the work of raising the dam's height would not be stopped and the issue of the displaced locals of Madhya Pradesh would be looked into sincerely.

"This is a reason for us (Congress) to celebrate as the Prime Minister has given such an assurance. We have intimated party leaders in Gujarat to call off the bandh and refrain from any sort of demonstration," Modhvadia said.

Concerning Gujarat BJP's protest campaign, featuring the 51-hour hunger strike by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress leader said, "He (Modi) should meet the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and if their discussions are not fruitful then he must sit on a fast there (in MP)".