Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday tried to reach out to the six communities seeking Scheduled Tribe status by assuring them that the government would take the right call in "consultation" with their representatives.

Sonowal's assurance to the six communities came a day after talks between the Centre and the leaders of the six communities in Delhi "failed" to make headway allegedly for lack of seriousness on the part of the Centre to resolve the issue, triggering calls for bandhs and protests against the Centre's alleged indifference towards their demands. The organisations called an Assam bandh on July 23 and 24 and also decided to organise a 12-hour hunger strike in New Delhi on July 30 in support of their demand.

The six communities seeking ST status in Assam are Moran, Muttock, Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Sootea and Tea Tribes. They wield considerable electoral influence.

At a government-held function in Dhubri, Sonowal, according to a government communiqué, said both the central and state governments were working with "genuine" interest for the six communities seeking ST status.

He said the process "is getting prolonged due to technical complications" but "assured" that the government would take it "in the right direction" in consultation with the representatives of the six communities.

The Opposition Congress on Saturday flayed the Centre for the failed talks with PCC president Ripun Bora saying in Guwahati: "While campaigning during the 2016 Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured to accord ST status to the six communities of Assam. But till now they have not taken any step. Now the failure of Friday's meeting proves the BJP has no intention to fulfil its promise".

The Assam Tea Tribes Students Association has called a 48-hour bandh on July 23-24 demanding ST status for six communities. It said it will also carry out a hunger strike in New Delhi on July 30.

Additional reporting by Manash Pratim Dutta