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Samata meet to finalise strategy

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 14. With the major political parties making preliminary preparations for the Assembly elections in Gujarat, the Samata Party too has decided to finalise its strategy at its executive and national council meeting to be held at Rajkot from October 18-20.

Although the party holds the view that it should not have any alliance, the possibility of arriving at an electoral understanding with the Bharatiya Janata Party would be discussed.

The party has identified 48 of the 182 Assembly constituencies in Gujarat, the party general secretary and spokesman, Shambu Shrivastwa, said. The party has some presence in Saurashtra region, with several sarpanches and a representative holding the post of Deputy Mayor in the Vadodara municipality, he said.

Even though the party is a constituent of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, there are differing views in it over seeking a formal alliance with the BJP. It may be recalled that soon after the Gujarat riots, Dr. Shrivastwa criticised the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, for his handling of the situation only to be rebuked by the then party chief, V.V. Krishna Rao.

The Samata Party would prefer to arrive at an understanding with the BJP just as it had during the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Otherwise, the other option of going it alone, as it did in other States, can be exercised.

The national council would also ratify the election of George Fernandes as the new party chief and draw up a timetable for inner-party elections due early next year. It would also adopt a political and economic resolution, with an accent on the policies of disinvestment and employment.

The recent opposition from Mr. Fernandes over the disinvestment policy, particularly in the oil sector, had resulted in the Government putting it off for three months

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