The Congress (I) is facing its toughest challenge since it returned to power in 1980 when about 52 million voters line up at the polling booth on May 19 to elect state governments in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal and Kerala. While the Lok Dal-BJP is fighting the keenest battle for 90 seats in Haryana and 68 in Haryana, the Marxist-led Left Front is making all-out efforts to defeat the United Democratic Front in Kerala. In West Bengal, the Congress (I)’s objective is limited to reducing the Left Front’s strength in the 294-member house. PM Indira Gandhi has spent four days in each state.
The official-level talks between India and China continued through the second day. According to an official source, all perspectives on the border issue were gone through in a cordial manner but nothing has so far happened to change India’s earlier assessment that a breakthrough was not expected in the current round of talks.
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, accusing Argentina of stalling peace talks, said that Britain should know in 48 hours whether a diplomatic solution to the Falkland conflict was possible. She also said that no military action can be held up. “ We have been negotiating with Argentina for more than six weeks in good faith, but there’s little sign of Argentina implementing the UN Security Council Resolution,” she said.
We wish to have relations with all, provided they do not impose their will on us, said Ali Akbar Hashmi Rafsanjani, the president of Iran’s Majlis. The West is angry with us because we have adopted an anti-imperialist policy, he said.
