HEAD LINE:

• India, Pak engaged in old-fashioned confrontation: Kerry (IE)
• Don't equate terrorists, terror victims: Pranab (IE)

LEAD:

A day after the Barack Obama administration warned Pakistan that it would he held accountable for security along the Pak-Afghan border, Pakistan seemed to cosy up to China as its foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi flaunted its "all weather" alliance with China by saying that Islamabad had given a "blank cheque" to Beijing to negotiate on its behalf with India. Qureshi said he had told Chinese envoy He Yafei, also China's vice-foreign minister, to "go to India and you have a blank cheque from us". He said he had conveyed to Yafei that Islamabad would endorse whatever China told New Delhi on Pakistan's behalf. The statement, which was made by Qureshi during a reception at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, has raised question marks over Yafei's visit to India on January 5 because New Delhi has gone out of its way to ensure that China didn't act as mediator. Yafei had visited Pakistan on December 29 and wanted to visit New Delhi directly from Islamabad. New Delhi, however, did not allow this, fearing that it would give the impression that China was trying to mediate between the two countries. Yafei later came to New Delhi on January 5 and advised India to continue the dialogue process with Pakistan.(TOI)

• New Delhi: When Barack Obama was sworn in as US president, defence secretary Robert Gates stayed away. As "designated successor", he was to ensure an immediate response to an emergency. When PM Manmohan Singh is treated for his blocked cardiac arteries and convalesces thereafter, who will stand in for him?

The answer to who is No.2 in the Manmohan Singh govt is not difficult. Heading on an average 50 GoMs at any time, negotiating with allies, steering India's post 26/11 diplomacy and managing floor coordination with BJP as leader of the House in Lok Sabha, foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee is second in the pecking order in the UPA govt. On Thursday morning, Singh was discharged from AIIMS and cardiologist Dr K S Reddy, who heads his medical team, said, "He has been discharged. He is hale and hearty and has gone back home." PMO did not say when Singh would undergo corrective treatment but an official statement said, "Doctors attending to the PM are completing their medical assessment to decide on the future course of treatment to be initiated at an appropriate date."(TOI)

• New Delhi: Digvijay Singh, a butt of SP attacks for some time, has rebuffed allegations made against him by Mulayam Singh Yadav, telling the SP supremo that he was being seriously misled. The Congress leader, incharge of UP, rebutted the SP chief's public outburst which accused Digvijay of batting for a corporate house where his son was working and sabotaging the proposed poll pact. SP sources revealed that Digvijay's riposte has come through a stinging letter. It is curious as the Samajwadi camp has preferred public statements to target him. It is a first in the slanging match between the allies who are struggling to clinch an alliance. Sources said Digvijay expressed anger at the personal charges, reminding Mulayam that it was he who, as CM of Madhya Pradesh, had withdrawn a case of "attempt to murder" against his brother Shivpal Singh Yadav. Singh told Mulayam that his son was not working for the corporate house he had mentioned but for an MNC, AT Kearney. Contrary to the charge that he was "unnecessarily" seeking Unnao Lok Sabha seat for Congress, Digvijay said he had never staked claim to it, apparently asking Mulayam to confirm it with his brother Ramgopal Yadav who is on the SP panel talking to Congress. (TOI)
• New Delhi: While senior leaders like Venkaiah Naidu and Sushma Swaraj will not contest Lok Sabha polls this time and concentrate on party work, BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley may take the plunge for his first Lok Sabha seat. "Sushma Swaraj and I will not be contesting this time. We will concentrate on the coordination of the party's election campaign," Naidu told reporters here on Thursday. There is possibility of Jaitley contesting the elections, with a demand from the party's Delhi unit asking him to join the fray from the Capital, he said.(TOI)
• New Delhi: The Samajwadi Party on Thursday said it was in touch with actor-turned-BJP politician Shatrughan Sinha. "I am in contact with him (Shatrughan Sinha) on a regular basis. We spoke today also. Our discussions, however, have been informal. It does not come under the definition of a political discussion... but possibilities cannot be ruled out," said SP general secretary Amar Singh on Thursday. Sinha told The Indian Express that he had "tremendous love and respect" for Amar Singh's "wisdom and sense of humour". "However, this is purely personal and no politics should be read into it. BJP is my conviction," he said. (IE)
• New Delhi: After four months of the encounter at Batla House In Jamia Nagar, police sources claim that CFSL (CBI) has submitted its forensic report on the encounter to the crime branch. And that the report shows the encounter wasn't stagemanaged. No officer was willing to come on record with Delhi High Court on Thursday asking the National Human Rights Commission for an update on its inquiry into the encounter. It also took Delhi Police to task for not getting a magisterial inquiry done so far. So, while police sources privately said the forensic report vindicated them, they were cautious not to come on record. The report, it was claimed, says the bodies of the suspected terrorists, Mohammad Sajid and Atif Bashir, had residual gunpowder on the hands which indicated they were also firing. The report, sources claimed, shows that examination of the bullet marks on the bulletproof jackets worn by the police and the injuries had revealed that the bullets and the cartridges recovered from the site were from the weapons recovered from L-18. Also, there were no close quarter injuries on the bodies of the alleged terrorists, indicating that they were shot from a considerable distance. (TOI)

MANMOHAN SINGH & GOVT

Congratulating incoming US President Barack Obama, PM Manmohan Singh said his assumption of the highest US office was a historic occasion for the people of America and for all freedom-loving people across the world. In a letter to Obama, Singh conveyed his best wishes, as well as those of his Govt and the people of India, in achieving the goals he had set for his people and for the US. Pointing out that India and the US shared a multi-faceted relationship rooted in the common values of democracy, pluralism and respect for diversity, the PM said he looked forward to working with him to strengthen bilateral relations and address regional and global issues of common concern. (IE)

BJP

The BJP's prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani has asserted that he has the right attributes for the country's top job. In a live chat session on Thursday, Mr Advani answering to a question on whether India needs a younger PM who understands global concern and think of modern India, he replied: "The question you have asked, I think the important part of it is that you need to understand the global situation; and who can think of a modern India. These are the two essential attributes you rightly think are necessary to lead the country. I can humbly claim that it is possible for me to do so." Mr Advani said Gujarat CM Narendra Modi had the capabilities of becoming a PM and promised to implement the Gujarat model of development if NDA comes to power. India Inc had recently praised saffron party's poster boy and Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as country's future PM. During the chat session, the 81-year-old leader in reply to another questioner said that he was in good health because he is a small eater. (AA)

CONGRESS

Congress on Monday rebuffed NCP's suggestions that Sharad Pawar could be the PM, saying the post was already occupied. AICC spokesman Manish Tiwari said, "Given the reality of UPA's arithmetics, there is no vacancy for the post of PM." Tiwari's comment came as Congress bristled at the very suggestion that Pawar could be PM while being in UPA. Commerce minister Kamal Nath told reporters that the issue has been clarified by Congress and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi. Sonia has repeatedly said that Manmohan Singh was the party's PM candidate for the next polls, even rebuffing suggestions from within that son Rahul Gandhi should be made the face for the top job. A unanimity in Congress on the PM-issue came after NCP on Wednesday suggested that its chief Sharad Pawar was an ideal candidate as PM. While it was felt that NCP spokesman DP Tripathi had made the claim rhetorically, in deference to his boss, it was enough to set the political bazaar abuzz owing to the Maratha strongman's keen eye for opportunities. Pawar has won the confidence of the CPM-led Left bloc, having spoken against the Centre preferring the nuclear deal over allies who supported the govt for four years. Left sources attested to the possibility, saying they are opposed to a PM from Congress but would have an open mind in case of Pawar. (TOI)

• HYDERABAD: Former cricketer Md. Azharuddin called on AICC general secretary M. Veerappa Moily and Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Thursday to express his desire to join the Congress. Two days after media reports about his impending political entry, Mr. Azharuddin arrived at the Lakeview Guest House and met Mr. Moily, Dr. Reddy and APCC president D. Srinivas, who were closeted in a meeting. The former Indian skipper refused to speak to the media before leaving the place. Mr. Moily later told reporters that Mr. Azharuddin said that he would join the Congress and serve the party. "He is the longest serving Indian cricket captain and we welcome him into the ruling party. He had earlier met AICC president Sonia Gandhi in October," Mr. Moily said. Asked about life ban imposed on him by the BCCI, Mr. Moily said: "There is no ban on joining politics." Queried further whether the party was likely to field him for the parliamentary constituency, Mr. Moily said the issue would arise some time. As of now, nothing had been decided about fielding him in the elections.(HINDU)

MAHARASHTRA

The Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on Thursday ruled that the application of provisions of MCOCA on the 11 people arrested in connection with the Malegaon blast was valid, putting to rest the questions raised by the defence on the merits of MCOCA in this case. Two days after a battery of defence lawyers appearing for all the accused had challenged the charges, Special MCOCA Judge Y D Shinde ruled that all the charges levelled under MCOCA along with various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act were valid. Senior Defence counsel Mahesh Jethmalani had argued that the basis on which MCOCA was invoked was not maintainable before the court as the two chargesheets essential against at least one accused for the invocation of MCOCA was filed only after MCOCA was applied on him. Jethmalani had called the entire investigation a "farce". (IE)

UTTAR PRADESH

The ruling Bahujan Samaj Party has won seven seats in biennial elections to the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) and also won the by-election for one seat. The by-election was caused by the death of Ram Saran Das of Samajwadi Party. The elections were held on Thursday. The biennial elections were held for 12 seats. While the ruling party won seven, the opposition Samajwadi Party won three and the BJP two. Among the winners are State Irrigation and PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Lokesh Prajapati, Ram Raksha Pal, Dharam Prakash Bhartiya, Om Prakash Tripathi, Ashok Kumar Siddharta and Pratap Singh Baghel (all BSP); Ahmed Hasan, Ramesh Babu Yadav and Sarojini Agarwal (all Samajwadi Party); and Babu Ram M.Com. and Vinod Kumar Pandey (both BJP). Ranjit Singh Judeo of the Congress, who was the 13th candidate in the race, lost. To emerge as winner, a candidate had to get 31 first preference votes. The Congress had only 21 MLAs in the House. Mr. Judeo was banking on the support of Rashtriya Lok Dal and a couple of Independent MLAs. (HINDU)

WEST BENGAL

Moving away from the line taken by the CPM central leadership, the party in West Bengal has decided to drop the Indo-US nuclear deal from its list of campaign issues for the Lok Sabha polls. The state CPM thinks the issue, which forced parting of ways with the UPA at the Centre, should not be raked up as it would not help them in the polls. CPM sources said the party strategy would be not to attack the Congress over such an issue, keeping in mind the possibility of again supporting a Congress-led UPA. CPM MP Mohammad Salim said: "We feel the (nuclear deal) issue has been campaigned widely, its import explained to the people. There is no need for this to be considered an election issue. In Bengal, we want more state-specific issues this time." Binoy Konar, a central committee member and an important party strategist for the elections, said: "The nuclear deal issue is outdated. If it is included in the election campaign, it will be too loaded an issue to handle. Therefore, it has been kept out of the list." (IE)

EDITORIAL

India can't afford to go easy on Pak: There are many reasons why India's stand on expectations from Pakistan after the Mumbai terrorist attacks should be clear-headed, clear-sighted, consistent and determined. The most important of them is that the people of India are owed something by the govt they have elected. Essentially, that is an assurance of security, the confidence that the best that India's resources and influence can obtain will be placed at the service of our people to ensure that the fabric of life will not be continually shattered through the machinations of a malign foreign govt or any of its agencies. All of Pakistan is not to blame for the Mumbai outrage. There are sizeable constituencies in that country who would like to put an end to terrorism and terrorist outfits operating from their soil as a means of bringing peace to Pakistan itself, to our region, and the world. But the Pakistan armed forces and the ISI are not among them. Nor for that matter is the present civilian regime, for it is too weak to assert itself even if it desired to free itself from Army control. In effect, those that matter in Islamabad continue to harbour an animus toward this country, whatever their protestations in the light of diplomatic compulsions. (AA)