1.
GV Parliament House annexed building
0.02

2.
SV & CU Members of Janata Party (7 shots)
0.24

3.
SV Foreign Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee arrives
0.32

4.
CU Prime Minister Morarji Desai seated
0.42

5.
SV Minister of Defence, Mr. Jagjivan Ram, arrives and takes seat
0.53

6.
CU Party President Mr. Chandra Shekhar talking to Mr. Ram and then turns to Mr. Desai
1.12

7.
GV Party members assembled or meeting
1.17


Mr. Rabi Ray withdrew his resignation in response to the unity call by the Party Executive on Tuesday (11 July). Mr. Singh however gave no indication whether he would take back his resignation, though he said "the unfortunate chapter in the Party is over". Prime Minister Desai flew back from a visit to Kashmir to attend the meeting, and said that, if Mr. Singh wanted to meet him, he was welcome, but the initiative must come from the ex-minister. Mr. Singh had also called for an official probe into allegations of corruption against Kanti Desai, the Prime Minister's son.




Initials BB/2210



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A key meeting of the National Executive of the ruling Janata Party was held in New Delhi on Tuesday (11 July) as moves continued to patch up differences among the party leadership. Efforts were being made to bring about a reconciliation between Prime Minister Morarji Desai and former Home Minister Charan Singh. Mr. Desai sacked Mr. Singh 12 days ago following a mounting campaign of criticism against the Janata leadership by the ousted Home Minister.

SYNOPSIS: The crucial meeting of the National Executive took place in Annexed of Parliament House in New Delhi. Practically all government leaders attended the meeting, except those who have handed in their resignations. Mr. Rabi Ray, a key supporter of the ex-Home Minister quit as General Secretary to the party in protest against Mr. Singh's dismissal from the cabinet, last week.

Foreign Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was one of the delegates at the meeting that resolved to urge Mr. Singh to withdraw his resignations from the Party's Executive and Parliamentary Boards. Mr, singh replied that he would fully co-operate to heal the split in the party.

The Minister of Defence, Jagjivan Ram, was one of those seeking to heal the growing bitterness between Mr. Singh and Mr. Desai.

The meeting was chaired by Janata Party President Chandra Shekhar. Ex-Home Minister Singh's difference with Mr. Desai were mainly on the delay in taking action against ex-Premier Indira Gandhi on charges arising out of her emergency rule. His statement last month appealing for her immediate arrest and trial by a special court prompted his dismissal from the cabinet, more than a week ago.