News In Brief

Gandhi plans to alter his list of nominees to improve image

Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, moving to improve the image of his Congress (I) Party before parliamentary elections next month, has decided not to nominate for reelection at least 83 of the 348 incumbents, some diplomats and politicians said Monday. Nominations for those seats close today.

One Western diplomat told Reuters that Congress (I) had fallen in public esteem before the assassination of Indira Gandhi last month because of ineptitude, nepotism, and corruption.