A PUSH from within India to have the President, Pratibha Patil, declare Delhi's Commonwealth Games open instead of Prince Charles appears to have failed.
A statement from Clarence House, the Prince's official residence in London, said that during Sunday's opening ceremony he will ''read out the Queen's baton message, ending by declaring the Games open''.
Mrs Patil is expected to give a short speech after the Prince and say ''let the Games begin''.
Since the Queen announced in May that she would not attend the Games, sending her heir instead, some in India have argued that the head of state is of higher status than the Prince.
Former Indian hockey captain Zafar Iqbal said: ''This is no longer the British Empire Games. The president of the host country should open the Games.''
The Clarence House statement denied there was a row over who would open the Games. But a spokesman for the British High Commission in Delhi acknowledged there had been discussion about the roles of the Prince and the President in the event.
Meanwhile, controversial Delhi Games chief Suresh Kalmadi hinted at an international plot to discredit India. Asked if he thought Western countries resented India organising a successful Games, he said: ''Definitely there is a part conspiracy.''
He said he was ready to face a judicial inquiry into his role after the Games. ''Hang me if I am proved guilty,'' he said.
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