gaddam@remus.rutgers.edu (Surekha Reddy Gaddam) (05/23/91)
Mrs.Sonia Gandhi has been unanimously elected the president of the Cong(I). A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Cong(I) working committee held in New Delhi today. Mrs.Sonia Gandhi's name was proposed by Mr.Arjun Singh and was supported by all members of the committe. A five member Cong(I) committee led by Mr.P.V.Narsimha Rao will call on the president Mr.Venkataraman at Rashtrapathi Bhavan tomorrow to apprise him of the situation arising out of Mr.Gandhi's assasination. The working committee will also finalise arrangements for tomorrow's funeral . A special investigation team led by the CBI director yesterday left New Delhi for Madras to probe in to the details of Mr.RG's assasination. The team consists of several experts from Intelligence wing. The Cong(I) working committee has decided to set up an enquiry commission headed by a SC judge. The chief justice of SC will be requested to nominate the judge. The nation is observing a seven day state mourning. In the capital today, all the central govt and educational institutions remained closed today and the state flag was flown half mask all over the country. The English services of Radio Moscow paid glowing tributes to Mr.Gandhi - the report said. The mortal remains of Mr.Rajiv Gandhi will be cremated with full state honor tomorrow(Friday). The funeral will take place at Shakti (sites sp?) where Mrs.Gandhi was cremated. Several world leaders are expected to attend Mr.Gandhi's funeral. Prominet among them are the US V.P, the Pakistan PM Mr.Nawaz Sherif, The Bangla Desh PM Begum Khalida Zia and the Bhutan King. The UN general secretary will pay his condolences at the Indian mission in New York. However, Mr.Virendra Dayal will be leaving New York for Delhi to attend Mr.Gandhi's funeral. The British foreign Sec Mr.Douglas Kert will represent Britain. President Bush expressed shock at a stop in Minnesota today. The Quattar cabinet adopted a resolution expressing shock at Mr.Gandhi's assasination. The PM Bahrain expressed the hope that people of India will overcome this tragedy. Finally the second and third phases of polling scheduled for today have been postponed to next month. The CE commissioner Mr.T.N.Seshan who called on the president Mr.Venkataraman today announced the the revised schedule of polling to the lower house and several state assemblies. The second phase of polling will be held on the 12th and the third phase on the 15th of next month. Mr.Seshan said, in view of the tragic circumstances, the elction process will be delayed and expressed the hope that the process will be completed by the 18th of next month. *A correction: AIR news can be heard on 17387 at 7:00am(EDT). At present the state radio is mourning the death of the former PM, therefore, all the programs printed in May's "India calling" stand cancelled. Narotham Reddy