71.   Three Russian Communist lawmakers signalled dissent in senior party ranks by refusing Wednesday to relinquish their chairmanships of parliamentary committees as ordered by the Communist leadership.

72.   UPRONA has eight portfolios in the cabinet, but divisions in the party ranks became evident in December.

73.   With no tradition of elections within party ranks, both women wield absolute power.

74.   Milosevic, the former Serbian communist party chief, is expected to see in a reshuffle in party ranks boosting the position of moderate supporters, analysts said.

75.   Michael Forbes, a Republican from New York, was among the few who said publicly he would break party ranks and oppose Gingrich.

76.   Opponents within the BSP have suggested that his decision to quit may just be a manoeuvre aimed at winning greater support from among the party ranks.

77.   The disgraced Chen Xitong made a relentless rise through party ranks to become the all-powerful communist chief in the capital, Beijing.