On the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao in Thailand, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu on Friday said India should firmly put its foot down on China’s objections to the Dalai Lama’s planned visit to his state.

Fresh from leading the Congress to a landslide win in the northeastern state, Khandu said his request to the government was that it should respond to China firmly and not come under “pressure” and not be “scared” of that country.

“The government of India has clearly said that the Dalai Lama can go anywhere in India. What China is claiming is meaningless and should be ignored,” he said. Singh and Wen are due to meet in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin on Saturday on the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia summits.

China early this week said it was “firmly opposed” to a planned visit by the Tibetan spiritual leader to Arunachal Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Khandu seemed to be a frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post for a second term as the Congress Legislature Party meets on Saturday. “The CLP meeting will be held tomorrow to elect the new Chief Minister. All the 42 Congress MLAs are expected to reach here by tomorrow morning,” said APCC president Nabam Tuki. The Congress secured two thirds majority, winning 42 of the 60 seats in the House. Party sources said Khandu was likely to become the Chief Minister as his bete noire Apang had lost the election. Khandu was elected unopposed.