Gujarat Janata Congress launched

By Our Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD, JULY 21. The newly-formed regional party, the Gujarat Janata Congress, held its first sammelan here today with the party president and former Congress Chief Minister, Mr. Chhabildas Mehta, seeing a ``bright future'' for the third force in the State with the waning of influence of both the ruling BJP and the Congress.

Addressing a largely-attended sammelan of non-BJP and non- Congress parties, Mr. Mehta, who recently resigned from the Congress, attacked the BJP for encouraging corruption and the Congress for ``abetting the crime'' by remaining a mute spectator to the deteriorating standard of public life in the State.

Mr. Mehta said the BJP had lost control over the administration and people were made to face hardships. Even the earthquake and drought relief measures launched by the Government were not being implemented and people were forced to pay ``commission'' to officials to get Governmental assistance.

He alleged large-scale corruption in the payment of wages in drought-relief measures and in supplying water through tankers. The number of labourers shown as engaged in drought relief measures were more than double than the actual enrollments. ``From the State secretariat down to the panchayat administration, corruption has become rampant at all stages,'' he said.

He said the recent elections in the five States proved that neither the BJP nor the Congress remained real national parties and both had to take the support of regional parties. The people of Gujarat were disappointed with the performance of both the BJP and the Congress and were looking forward to a regional party to fulfill their aspirations, he added.

The sammelan appointed other office-bearers at the state and district levels and constituted district-level committees all over the State.

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Section  : Other States
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