NEW DELHI: The toll in poll related violence touched 279 with three more deaths reported Thursday in several parts of Uttar Pradesh.

While 160 people were killed in pre-poll incidents at least 119 have lost their lives in Andhra Pradesh Bihar Madhya Pradesh Pondicherry Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal since Monday.

Uttar Pradesh is the worst hit with at least 84 deaths 30 of them in Meerut and 17 in Kanpur while 16 persons were killed in Bihar eight in Madhya Pradesh and seven in Andhra Pradesh.

NEW DELHI: Within hours of the assassination weeping old faithful’s of the Gandhi household assembled at 10 Janpath. They confabulated among themselves and decided that Mrs Sonia Gandhi should become the Congress president.

A member of this powerful cabal put it to her that she must take up where Mr Rajiv Gandhi has left so suddenly and so tragically. In state of shock and bewilderment in the early hours of May 22 Mrs Sonia Gandhi might not have even grasped the full implication of what was being offered to her a leadership role. Her probable reply in general terms that “Rajiv’s good work” should continue was taken as her consent.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 31, 1991