UPA crisis meet weighs PDP threat

New Delhi: A day ahead of the crucial meeting of the People's Democratic Party in Srinagar on Thursday, top UPA leaders met in New Delhi to discuss the crisis emerging out of PDP's threat to withdraw its support to the alliance government in Jammu and Kashmir over the troops withdrawal issue.

The meeting, held at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence, was attended by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, Shivraj Patil and AK Antony and the Political Secretary to Congress President, Ahmed Patel.

The UPA meeting assumed significance in view of the statement of PDP leader and former chief minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed on Tuesday that he would await the outcome of the discussions of the UPA leadership on the troops cut issue.

Mufti met the PM twice over the past week in an effort to iron out the differences within the coalition government in the state.

The Prime Minister has reportedly assured the PDP that the Centre will set up a committee soon to examine the issue of troop cuts in civilian areas, vacation of civilian properties occupied by security forces and the repeal of anti-terror laws from Jammu and Kashmir. There has not been any official word on this so far.

The PDP, which had earlier deferred the Political Affairs Committee meeting from its scheduled date on March 25, says the top strategy-making panel of the party will chart the future strategy of the party.

The PDP has boycotted three meetings of the state Cabinet in recent times to press for its demands. The State Cabinet is scheduled to meet again on Thursday in Jammu.

The party has been demanding a special Cabinet meeting to discuss withdrawal of troops, a demand which has been rejected by the Centre and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Official sources said it will be "very serious" if PDP boycotts the Cabinet meeting again on Thursday since it is affecting governance in the state.

Senior PDP leader Gulam Hussain Mir, however, hinted at a comedown on Wednesday when he claimed the Centre has given a positive response to the PDP demand.