Front page of The Indian Express on July 10, 1978
A nine-point formulation evolved at a meeting in New Delhi brightened the prospects of an early end to the Janata Party crisis. Madhu Limaye said Prime Minister Morarji Desai was happy at the new turn. Another favourable move came from Rabi Ray, who withdrew his resignation as a party general secretary. The formulation will be placed before the National Executive. Limaye expressed the hope that Charan Singh would attend the meeting. The nine points include the creation of a standing committee to deal with party problems, implementation of the socio-economic programmes of the party and creation of machinery to oversee it, creation of a think tank, imposition of a ban on public trading of charges and providing suitable machinery within the party to deal with such a situation, and integration of labour, student other fronts.
Maharashtra Flux
The Janata Party may form the government in Maharashtra, thus bringing to an end the five-month rule of the coalition of the two Congresses. Confident that at least 10 MLAs, if not more, from the Congress (I), would not only break the coalition but support a Janata -led government, Uttamarao Patil, leader of the Maharashtra Janata Legislature Party, and his colleagues feel they can muster enough support. The Janata Party and its allies have 133 members. Including those of the PWP, the breakaway group of the Congress legislators, and the Maharashtra Socialist Congress, a Janata cabinet can hope to have the support of 150-160 MLAS of the 288-member House.
Burmese Refugees
Bangladesh and Burma reached an agreement for repatriation of about 3,00,000 Burmese refugees who had crossed over to Bangladesh. This was announced by the Bangladesh foreign secretary and Burmese deputy foreign minister after the official level talks between the two countries in Dacca.