Months after border clash, CMs of Assam, Mizoram dine together in Delhi

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga on Thursday met over dinner in New Delhi, four months after violent clashes broke out at their inter-state border claiming the lives of 6 Assam police personnel.

Zoramthanga had arrived at Assam House in Delhi at around 8 pm and left the venue at 9.30 pm.

Both the chief ministers are likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday.

"Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga is on a seven-day visit to Delhi, so I took that opportunity and invited him for a dinner. We had dinner and had a little conversation. Tomorrow (on Friday), both of us will try to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Today we just talked and enjoyed our dinner," Sarma toldafter the meeting.

Emphasising that they are "like brothers," Zoramthanga told ANI, "I was invited by Himanta ji for dinner since we are good friends, like brothers. We had a very good time. Tomorrow, we hope to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah together. We tried to increase the friendship that we have had all along, we had a very fine time."

After the meeting, Zoramthanga took to Twitter and said, "Cordial discussions on various developmental topics for the welfare of Northeast India were discussed. Looking forward to many more progressive meetings."

The meeting of the two chief ministers was also attended by Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora. He is the president of Asom Gana Parishad, which is a partner in the BJP-led coalition in Assam.

Earlier this year on July 26, the border dispute between the two states escalated and a fierce gun battle between the forces of the two states resulted in the death of five Assam police personnel and one civilian. One injured policeman succumbed to his injuries later taking the total number of policemen killed to six. At least 50 people were injured in the incident.

However, the two states in a joint statement agreed to take forward the Centre's initiative of letting neutral forces patrol the disputed areas of the inter-state border for maintaining peace.

( With inputs from ANI )