Indian Express Front page on May 5, 1978
Janata Party president Chandra Shekhar described the dismissal of the UP local self-government minister, Satya Prakash Malaviya, as unparallelled and unfortunate and said that he would inquire into the circumstances in which he had been relieved of his office and seven new ministers inducted into the Cabinet. Chandra Shekhar felt any dismissal of a minister was unfortunate and has no parallel in the history of parliamentary democracy.
Janata divided
The confrontation within the Janata Party over the Malaviya issue is assuming serious dimensions and a split is threatened in the party. Chandra Shekhar’s comments at a press conference have strengthened the case of Malaviya and the dissidents are now determined to go to any length to get the “wrong undone” and seek the immediate ouster of Ram Naresh Yadav. Since it is no more a secret that Malaviya was sacked on the advice of Charan Singh, it is believed that the Union home minister, who is known for his rigidity and obstinacy, would not yield to any pressure and not hesitate in ordering the expulsion of the dissidents.
Bahuguna on crisis
Union Minister for Petroleum H N Bahuguna admitted that the Janata Party was facing “trouble” in the wake of some of its leaders airing their grievances in public. He described as “unfortunate” the political development in UP in the context of the dismissal of the Satya Prakash Malaviya. A virtual revolt was now brewing in the Janata Party there following the dismissal, he said.
Congress bypoll win
The Congress-I has wrested the Khedbrahma (reserved) assembly seat in Gujarat from the Janata Party in the by-election. Jadgish Damor (Cong-I) defeated his nearest Janata rival, Shamalbhai Solanki, by a margin of 2021 votes.