India opposition party emerges from realignment

An opposition party to the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has been formed out of a split within the Janatha Party, whose recen disintegration had crippled the opposition movement.

The Bhratiya Janata (Indian People's) Party was established Sunday after the Janata Party failed the day before to resolve a long-standing intraparty dispute , triggering a split within its ranks for the third time in nine months.

The new party is headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a religious right-wing opposition leader who says the party seeks "to mobilize the people to meet the growing challenge of dynastic dictatorship."