Rebels offer talks to Delhi as strike cripples northeast

"We are ready to hold talks with New Delhi and shall soon convey our decision with respect to the Assam chief minister's truce offer within a few days," the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) said in a statement.

The outlawed NDFB, founded in October 1986 to fight for an independent homeland for the Bodo tribe in Assam, claimed responsibility for killing 14 shoppers in western Assam Saturday, when a string of bomb blasts and gunfire left 50 people dead in Assam and neighbouring Nagaland states.

Another 19 people, mostly civilians but including three militants blown up by their own bomb, died in further attacks in the two states Sunday and Monday, prompting the Indian government to deploy extra troops in the insurgency-hit region.

"We have asked our cadres to prepare themselves for a dialogue to secure our goal of freedom either through peaceful and democratic means or through prolonged fight with India," the rebel statement said.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi Thursday offered a ceasefire with the NDFB and another rebel army, the United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), asking the two outfits to respond to the truce offer by October 15.

"We welcome the NDFB's offer for talks. If they are sincere we have no problems, but they should refrain from creating any violence," the chief minister said in his response Tuesday.

The Ulfa has rejected the ceasefire offer saying it had triggered at least five bomb explosions in Assam over the weekend.

"The explosions are an answer to chief minister Tarun Gogoi's offer for a ceasefire," Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah told local newspapers Monday.

Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil Patil Monday said New Delhi was open to talks with rebel groups "although we are committed to taking very strong measures to deal with the spurt in violence".

"Let the militant groups come and talk to us, we are prepared to discuss all issues," he said.

Meanwhile, police officials in the seven northeastern states -- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur -- said shops, businesses and educational institutions were closed due to the strike, while there was no traffic on the roads.