Patil starts her two-nation tour with a five-day visit to Laos Thursday. This will be the first visit by Patil to Laos and only the second to the southeast Asian country by an Indian president, the external affairs ministry said here ahead of Patil's visit.

In Vientiane, the capital of Laos, Patil will hold talks with President Choummaly Sayasone and Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh.

CHANDIGARH:   Normal life was partially affected in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh today in the wake of the day-long nationwide strike called by various trade unions against price rise, alleged violation of labour laws and disinvestment in PSUs.

Public transport and banking services were the major casualties of the strike though industries in both Punjab and Haryana remained insulated from the strike.

Even as government officials claimed that the strike has fizzled out, members of unions took out protest marches and blocked traffic across both the states against alleged anti-people policies of the Centre.

LUCKNOW:   Senior Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Ram Lotan Nishad was expelled from the party today for his alleged remarks against party president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

Nishad, UPCC secretary, had been expelled from primary membership of the party for six years for his "remarks" against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul, a UP Congress spokesman said.

His conduct amounted to violation of party discipline, Dwijendra Tripathi said.

NEW DELHI:   The Centre will not come in the way of formation of a new government in Jharkhand led by BJP and may initiate the process of revoking President's rule there once a report from Governor M O H Farooq comes tomorrow.

Farooq had a telephonic talk with Home Minister P Chidambaram today and briefed him about the latest political developments in Jharkhand.

The Governor is believed to have conveyed to the Home Minister that he is verifying the support offered to the BJP by JMM, JDU, AJSU and two independent MLAs and would send his report to the Home Ministry tomorrow for necessary action.

JAIPUR:   Terming P Chidambaram's "saffron terror" remark as a serious mistake on his part, former BJP chief Rajnath Singh today threatened an agitation by nationalist forces if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not seek an apology from the Home Minister for his statement.

"Home Minister Chidambaram has committed a serious mistake. Nationalist forces would raise this issue, and launch an agitation if the PM does not seek an apology from him and direct him to withdraw his words," Singh told a press conference after launching state BJP's house journal "Maru Kamal Darpan" here.

The Home Minister's clarification that the remark was not directed against the BJP would not be sufficient, he said adding that the party will make it an issue.

The issue was raised by Slessor at his meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here.

Slessor, who assumed charge as the Canadian consul general here, met Badal and told him that the Canadian minister for citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism Jason Kenney will visit Chandigarh Thursday to interact with the top brass of the civil and police administration of Punjab to find a permanent solution to curb the practice of illegal migration.