The PCG congress also stated that the party would support trade union struggles, even if not directly led by the party.

That led to a pattern of apparent election fraud by the governing party.

But, of course, led by the party.

For 70 years, a Congress led by the governing party rubber-stamped the all-powerful presidents' proposals.

His engagement in groups devoted to alternative politics led to repeated strictures by the party and his dismissal from his job in 1975.

A lower court had thrown out that charge in September 2003, when Mr. Advani was home minister in the government led by the party.

Mr. Grossman has led an aggressive effort by the national party to pay down a debt incurred after the 1996 elections, which was $13.2 million at the end of December.

They led statewide gains by the Republican party winning five additional seats in the House of Delegates.

When Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the Presidency, her "People Power Coalition," led by the Lakas-CMD party, became the dominant group in Congress.

That mere fact has led to assassination attempts and a number of political and legal attacks by the ruling party, including a 12-year prison sentence.