960405

Indian political

activist kills

himself

CHANDIGARH: A political activist died Thursday, two days after he set himself on fire to protest his party's choice of a candidate for a national election.

Param Ram, 62, was hospitalized with 60 percent of his body burned in Chandigarh, which serves as the capital of two northern states, Punjab and Haryana, police said.

Ram was mad that his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party ignored the proposed candidacy Jai Ram Joshi, a local party leader, and chose another one for the Chandigarh parliamentary seat.

On Tuesday, Ram attended a protest meeting held by Joshi and nearly 500 other party workers. He later poured kerosene on himself and set himself on fire.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is India's largest opposition group, but neither it or the governing Congress Party are expected to win a majority in Parliament during the April and May election.-PA