This is an archive article published on September 27, 2019

Opinion September 27, 1979, forty years ago: Lok Dal formed

September 27, 1979: The birth of the new party was, however, marked by a setback when H N Bahuguna, leader of the CFD faction, decided to keep out of it.

Indian Express front page September 27, 1979

By: Editorial

September 27, 2019 12:55 AM IST First published on: Sep 27, 2019 at 12:55 AM IST

Indian Express front page September 27, 1979

The Janata (S), the Socialist Party (Limaye group) and the Orissa Janata Party formally merged into a new party called “Lok Dal”. Charan Singh was elected its president and Raj Narain working president”. The birth of the new party was, however, marked by a setback when H N Bahuguna, leader of the CFD faction, decided to keep out of it. His group had earlier decided to join the new party and had submitted to Charan Singh a 31-point programme for inclusion in its manifesto.

It is learnt that Charan Singh was cool to Bahuguna’s programme. This morning when the convention began, the CFD delegates were conspicuous by their absence. So were many others, including Madhu Limaye, Karpoori Thakur, Biju Patnaik and S N Mishra, who, it turned out later, were busy persuading Bahuguna to join the convention.

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