The next round of talks between the Centre and the Akalis will be held on January 18. Home Minister P C Sethi has sent a letter to tlie Akali leaders inviting them to resume talks in Delhi. The Akali Dal high command accepted the invitation but insisted that the talks be held in Chandigarh instead of Delhi. The Home Minister had said in the letter that the talks could be held in Chandigarh if the Akalis wanted it.
Orissa Opposition
Radiating reminiscences of 1977, a united opposition party takes final shape in Orissa. This is bound to erode Indira Gandhi’s base in the state. The state executive committees are made up of three parties, the Janata, the Lok Dal, and the Congress (S). Leaders of the parties seem to be encouraged by the public reaction to the merger.
Maharashtra CM
The two observers from the Congress (I) high command met all shades of ministers, MPs, and legislators in Bombay to get their views about the Bhosale administration. Petroleum Minister Shiv Shankar and Sports Minister Buta Singh are the high command’s observers. Shankar denied that the Congress (I) parliamentary board had decided to remove Babasaheb Bhosale from the post of Chief Minister.
Army Day
The Indian Army has set before itself the task of improving its combat efficiency, including modernisation and indigenisation of its equipment, in view of the rapid changes taking place in the operational and technological environment in which it has to operate, the Chief of Army Staff, General K V Krishna Rao said. Rao was speaking at the annual Army Day parade in New Delhi.
