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PM in 'fine spirits'

Syed Firdaus Ashraf, Archana Masih

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was admitted to the Breach Candy hospital in south Bombay on Monday evening, is in "fine spirits," Ashok Tandon, officer on special duty at the Prime Minister's Office, told rediff.com "He has just had a cup of tea," the official added.

Vajpayee will undergo knee replacement surgery on Tuesday morning. He arrived in Bombay by a special Indian Air Force aircraft at 1530 hours on Monday afternoon.

He was greeted by Maharashtra Governor Dr P C Alexander, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Union Information Technology Minister Pramod Mahajan.

At the hospital, Ranjan Bhattacharya, the PM's son-in-law, was spotted discussing the arrangements with Special Protection Group personnel. In an informal chat with reporters, he revealed that he is the only member of the prime minister's family who has travelled to the city to be at Vajpayee's side when the latter's left knee is operated upon.

The prime minister drove straight from the airport to the hospital in an Ambassador. He eluded the media which awaited his arrival at one gate of the hospital, by turning up at the hospital's other gate. One rediff.com correspondent said the prime minister looked pensive as he entered the hospital. Home Minister L K Advani will visit the prime minister on Monday night.

The only other person visible in the cavalcade was Sudheendra Kulkarni, the PMO official who last week persuaded Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to withdraw her resignation from the Union Cabinet.

Two assistant commissioners of police, eight inspectors, 16 sub inspectors and 140 constables -- working 8 to 8 shifts -- have been stationed outside the hospital. Two armed policemen have been stationed atop every high rise building in the area (there are about 15 such high rises in the vicinity). Within the hospital precincts, in addition to the SPG personnel, members of the Bombay police's Special Branch are scrutinising every visitor to the building.

The area within a kilometre radius of the hospital has been declared a hawker-free zone. Barricades have been erected on the pavements, hampering pedestrian movement.

Meanwhile, officials -- T K Mitra, director, SPG; Joint Secretary Ashok Saikia; Ashok Tandon, OSD; V Anandrajan, the prime minister's private secretary; Shiv Kumar -- and the PM's physicians -- Drs Randeep Guleria, Anoop Mishra, Manchanda, Pande and Ramesh Kumar -- have checked into Sahyadri, the state government house in south Bombay.

Union Health Minister Dr C P Thakur has been in the city for two days, supervising the arrangements for the PM's treatment. The PMO will operate from Raj Bhavan, the governor's home, during Vajpayee's stay in the city, because in the words of one Sahyadri staffer, "the security is better there." Also staying at the guesthouse is former prime minister V P Singh.

The PM's surgery: The full coverage

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