The New Nation - Internet Edition

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India's media is frenziedly speculating over whether France's president will be accompanied by his beloved on his visit to the monument of love, the Taj Mahal.

President Nicolas Sarkozy's aides say that he will visit the Taj during his visit to India which begins on Friday.

But on Tuesday, his girlfriend Carla Bruni told a French newspaper that she would not be going to India with him.

That has led to press speculation that he may emulate Princess Diana's solitary visit to the Taj in 1992.

"Is he going alone? At a time when he's deeply in love and contemplating matrimony for the third time? asks The Times of India.

The paper suggests Ms Bruni may come to India on a "private" visit to coincide with that of the president.

It points out that such a tactic would be a good way to sidestep the Indian foreign ministry's "constraining protocol" over the presence of unmarried partners on state visits. Unmarried couples are still a rarity in largely conservative India. Correspondents have already begun asking whether the president will follow in the footsteps of Princess Diana, who visited the Taj Mahal alone in 1992.

That visit took place as her marriage with Prince Charles was collapsing.

She sat by herself and posed for customary photographs on a bench in front of the marble mausoleum.

The image epitomised the couple's estrangement.

"Sarkozy had reserved some private time for himself on the afternoon of January 26 before flying back," the NDTV website reported.

"So perhaps he can catch up with Bruni at the monument of love, the Taj Mahal.

"If Carla Bruni does indeed come to India, her visit will inevitably lead to renewed focus on Sarkozy's private life.

"And that to many, is much more interesting than the politics of the visit," it said. On Tuesday, Ms Bruni told Liberation newspaper that she could not go on an official trip to India as she was not married to President Sarkozy.

The decision meant that Indian officials do not have to resolve protocol issues of how to treat a head of state's girlfriend.

Sarkozy has been inseparable from Ms Bruni over the past few months and their romance has been grabbing headlines around the world.

Sarkozy will be the chief guest at India's Republic Day parade on 26 January.

When the possibility of Ms Bruni accompanying him first emerged, the media went into overdrive, speculating whether the tall ex-model would share the plush five-star hotel suite where the president will be hosted.