Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who returned here today after a visit to New Delhi, said that his party had always opposed the use of Article 356 and demanded that it should be repealed.

They would oppose the resolution as a matter of principle, he said. The AGP has two members in the Rajya Sabha, but has no representatives in the Lok Sabha.

To a question, Mahanta said the Government would soon take a final decision on holding the panchayat election which was long overdue, after discussion with the members of the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC).

The BAC had earlier opposed holding the panchayat election in BAC areas.The State Government had apprised the Centre of the situation and requested the latter to resolve it, but the Centre had not yet conveyed its decision, he said.