Manmohan tries to defuse tension

SRINAGAR: J&K chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad can breathe easy for the time being after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervened in a bid to diffuse the crisis between the Congress and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The PM talked to PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in the morning and invited him to New Delhi following reports that PDP was ready to quit power taking moral high ground on their demands of reduction of troops and withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

“Mufti is leaving on Tuesday to meet the PM and discuss all the issues relating to our demands,” said Muzaffar Hussain Baig, senior PDP leader.

Despite PM’s efforts, the PDP ministers boycotted the cabinet meeting on Sunday. This was the third time that PDP ministers stayed off from the cabinet meeting chaired by Azad. PDP ministers have boycotted two cabinet meetings after their demands of special discussions on AFSPA and demilitarization was not heeded to by Azad.

What added to the crisis was the recent letter of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in which he has assured him of taking decision on demilitarization after reviewing the security situation in summer.

In the 89-member house, Congress needs 46 members to stay in the government. The party has 22 members and the support of eight independent members. They have also the support of two CPM members and four Panthers Party MLAs. They have also the support of some independents are supporting it. It will fall short of the simple majority mark if PDP with 19 MLAs pulls out.