NEW DELHI, India: More than three thousand delegates are likely to attend the National Convention of Indira loyalists and other Congress (I) workers scheduled in New Delhi for January 6, when the new party floated by former Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherji will be formally inaugurated. Mukherji is likely to be elected the President of the new party and Mr, Parkash Mehrotra, Prof. S.S, Mahapatra and Mr. Gundu Rao are likely to be made General Secretaries. The party which will be named Indian

National Congress may drop the suffix Indira. He said that it will add the suffix, Democratic or Republican,

‘After Mr. Mahapati Tripatti, the younger son of Mr. Kamalapati Tripatti formally joined the new organization, the party has made some dent in U.P. particularly in Mr. Kamalapati Tripatti’s area of influence, Another son of Mr. Kamalpati Tripatti is likely to Join the convention. According to the organizers both Tripatti brothers are joining Mukherji’s party with the blessings of their father. There speculation that Mr, Kamalpati Tripatti may also finally join Mr. Mukherj’s party.

At a recent reception held in connection with Mr. Tripatti’s granddaughter’s marriage, hardly ten Congress (I) M.P.s turned up. This has made the old man angry. The new party has already decided to align itself with the Janata Party in West Bengal, Orissa, and Kerala. Mr. Mukherji had two hours of talks with Chander Shekher, RK, Hegde and Brju Patnaik before he left for Calcutta, last week. The new party has strong base in the Vidharba region of Maharashtra as J.W. Dhote, a former M.P. has announced his support to the convention. With Sharad Pawer’s, entry into the Congress (I) there is strong resentment in the Congress (I) in Maharashtra, Indira loyalists are likely to exploit the situation in Maharashtra also, Mr. Antulay has yet to make up his mind about joining the party. It learnt that Prof. Mahapatra had three meetings with Mr. Antulay when he was in Delhi about a week ago.

According to Prof. Mahapatra two Congress (S) leaders Jagat Chander Sinha, former Chief Minister of Assam and K.P, Unnishnan, M.P. are likely to address the open session of the convention of the delegates.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 26, 1986