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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 000040 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PTER IN
SUBJECT: DELHI DIARY, JANUARY 2-9, 2009 
 
REF: 2008 NEW DELHI 3249 
 
¶1.  (U)  Below is a compilation of political highlights from 
Embassy New Delhi for January 2-9, 2009, that did not feature 
in our other reporting, including: 
 
--  J&K:  Omar Abdullah Sworn-In as Chief Minister 
--  PDP Pulls out of UPA Coalition 
--  Shootout in Poonch 
--  UAE Naval Commander Visits India, Sign of "Long-standing" 
Relations 
--  United Revolutionary Front of Bhutan Kills Four in IED 
Attack 
--  BJP Sounds Bugle for National Polls 
 
J&K: Omar Abdullah Sworn-In as Chief Minister 
- - - 
 
¶2.  (U)  Omar Abdullah, a 1998 IVLP participant, officially 
became the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on January 5. 
At thirty-eight, Abdullah is the state's youngest-ever Chief 
Minister.  His National Conference party heads a coalition 
government with the Congress Party after winning a plurality 
of seats in the recent state assembly elections, which were 
marked by few disruptions and an historically high, 62 
percent voter turnout (Reftel).  Foreign Minister Mukherjee 
and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi attended the 
Srinagar ceremony.  Commenting after the ceremony on the 
long-standing dispute between GOI and separatists in Jammu 
and Kashmir, Abdullah told reporters, "My party will do 
whatever it can to facilitate a dialogue with New Delhi and 
the separatists.  It has happened in the past, and I see no 
reason why it can't happen in the future." 
 
PDP Pulls out of UPA Coalition 
--- 
 
¶3.  (U)  In the aftermath of the Congress Party's alliance 
with the National Conference (NC) party in Jammu and Kashmir, 
former state-level coalition partner, the People's Democratic 
Party (PDP), on January 4 formally decided to pull out of its 
six-year alliance with the Congress-led United Progressive 
Alliance (UPA).  The decision was conveyed by PDP president 
Mehbooba Mufti in a communiqu to UPA Chairperson Sonia 
Gandhi.  Congress officials said that the PDP decision to 
part ways was "unfortunate" as they could have continued to 
support the UPA while in opposition on the state-level. 
 
¶4.  (U)  The Congress Party entered into a coalition with the 
PDP in 2002, but their ties were severed in June last year 
over the Amarnath land controversy.  Congress played 
"kingmaker" on December 30, joining hands with the NC to form 
a coalition government (Reftel).  The NC won 28 seats and the 
Congress 17 seats in the seven-phase state assembly election 
last year, giving both parties enough seats to govern in the 
87 seat assembly.  38-year-old NC leader Omar Abdullah was 
sworn in as Chief Minister of J&K on January 5. 
 
Shootout in Poonch 
--- 
 
¶5.  (U)  Fighting between suspected Muslim militants and 
Indian troops in a forested area of J&K resumed on January 4 
and has continued to date, claiming seven lives including 
three security personnel.  The violence, close to the line of 
control, began on Thursday when Indian troops attacked 
suspected militant hideouts in the Batidhar forest area, 
Poonch district of J&K.  Indian press has reported that up to 
ten suspected militants from three prominent Muslim militant 
groups are in hiding in the area. 
 
¶6.  (U)  The Batidhar encounter is one of the longest 
skirmishes in recent months, and the first since legislative 
elections in November and December last year.  The elections 
 
NEW DELHI 00000040  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
saw over 60-percent turnout despite a boycott call by 
Kashmiri separatists (Reftel). 
 
UAE Naval Commander Visits India, Sign of "Long-standing" 
Relations 
--- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  UAE Naval Commander Rear Admiral Ahmed Mohammed 
Al-Sabab began his three-day trip to India on January 6. 
During his three-day visit he traveled to New Delhi and 
Mumbai. According to Professor of West Asian Studies Qamar 
Agha of Jamia Millia University in New Delhi, Al-Sabab's 
visit is a normal, predictable component of long-standing 
cooperation between India and the UAE on defense and economic 
matters, but takes on special weight in the aftermath of 
Mumbai.  It has been widely reported that Al-Sabab received 
his education in Pakistan.  Given his close ties to Pakistan, 
there is media speculation that Al-Sabab provide the GOI 
special insight into the Mumbai attacks. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Agha said that the UAE and other Gulf countries 
are "deeply disturbed by the crisis in Pakistan," where they 
have strong ties, and they are "praying for peace" with 
Pakistan and India.  He indicated that the Gulf countries are 
especially worried because, due to the financial crisis will 
restrict their ability to finance Pakistan.  In addition, 
Agha believes that the Indian and UAE Navies are interested 
in developing a joint naval strategy on counter-terrorism and 
counter-piracy in the waters off of the Horn of Africa, but 
said that MEA's thinking on the topic may differ from the 
Navy's. 
 
United Revolutionary Front of Bhutan Kills Four in IED Attack 
--- 
 
¶9.  (U)  On December 30, United Revolutionary Front of Bhutan 
(URFB) rebels attacked a group of forest workers in the 
Sarpang district of southern Bhutan.  The rebels had planted 
an improvised explosive device on the road, which was 
triggered by the forest workers' tractor.  After the 
explosion, the gunmen opened fire on the workers and set 
ablaze the bodies using the tractor tires.  The attack killed 
four forest workers, while two others managed to escape. 
Media outlets reported that the rebels stole two SLR rifles 
with 40 rounds of ammunition from the workers. 
 
¶10.  (U)  The URFB, reportedly the Nepal-based Communist 
Party of Bhutan's militant wing, immediately claimed 
responsibility for the attack and sent a press release to 
journalists and  diplomatic missions in India and Nepal.  The 
statement also noted that the underground organization 
carried out serial bomb blasts in Thimphu, Chukha, Dagana, 
and Samachi in the run up to the National Assembly elections 
last spring.  Accusing Prime Minister Thinley's government of 
continuing its "iron rule," the URFB threatened to "escalate" 
the violence if the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB) 
government continued to "turn a deaf ear to peace and 
reconciliation." 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Ravi Nair, Director of the South Asia Human 
Rights Documentation Centre and close embassy contact, 
reported that the URFB had remained quiet since last year's 
election.  His contacts reported that the current URFB leader 
is Ramesh Subba (Note: the December 31 URFB press release was 
signed "Karma, Commander-in-Chief."  Nair believes the name 
is an alias.  End Note).  The group fights for the rights of 
the predominantly Hindu Bhutanese in the south and for the 
repatriation of Bhutanese refugees residing in camps in Nepal. 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  In response, the RGOB announced the formation of 
an elite police force, similar to India's National Security 
Guards.  Royal Bhutan Police Chief Colonel Kipchu Namgyel 
stated that the unit will be formed under the "Special 
Reserve Police Force" of the Police Bill and will initially 
 
NEW DELHI 00000040  003 OF 003 
 
 
recruit 178 guards. 
 
BJP Sounds Bugle for National Polls 
--- 
 
¶13.  (U)  Following state assembly election defeats in Delhi 
and Rajasthan last month, the BJP resumed preparations on 
January 2 for upcoming Lok Sabha elections due by May this 
year.  The BJP's central election committee announced its 
planning schedule -- January 19-21 and 28-29 -- to discuss 
party electoral strategy and to finalize its list of 
candidates.   In addition, the committee will host local 
"booth-level" meetings in all electoral districts starting 
January 16 to invigorate party machinery ahead of national 
elections. 
 
¶14.  (U)  The BJP has already released the names of 19 
candidates. These include its Prime Ministerial hopeful L.K. 
Advani, party president Rajnath Singh, former UP chief 
minister Kalyan Singh, cricketer-turned-TV personality Navjot 
Singh Sidhu, Khiren Rijiju, Tapir Gao, and former Union 
ministers Murli Manohar Joshi, Santosh Gangwar, Ashok 
Pradhan, Vinod Khanna, Maneka Gandhi and her son Varun. 
 
MULFORD