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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah returned after a prolonged holiday in London on Friday morning.
Abdullah had gone to London in the first week of December to spend time with his family.
Though expected to return to India on December 28 after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee directed him to cut short his holiday in view of the prevailing situation in the state, Abdullah managed to extend his stay by one week.
Sources in the home ministry said that since the home and defence ministries were handling the security scenario in J&K, the chief minister's absence for a short duration would not have any adverse impact.
A senior central minister said that the situation in J&K was well under control and there was no cause to worry.
"The deployment of the army on the border and on the Line of Control has provided a fillip to counter insurgency operations in the state and we are now accounting for more and militants," the minister said.
The Union government has high hopes from the forthcoming visit of Home Minister L K Advani to the United States. Advani leaves on January 8, after the conclusion of the SARRC summit in Nepal.
Advani is expected to meet US Secretary of State Collin Powell, top brass in the FBI and CIA and other senior US officials.
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