The Hindu : Manmohan fails to make headway in talks with Mufti

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 21, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

Manmohan fails to make headway in talks with Mufti

By Shujaat Bukhari

The senior Congress leader, Manmohan Singh, during a meeting with the PDP chief, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in Srinagar on Sunday . — Photo: Nissar Ahmad

SRINAGAR OCT. 20. The talks between the senior Congress leader, Manmohan Singh, and the president of the People's Democratic Party, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, to break the stalemate over forming a popular government in Jammu and Kashmir remained inconclusive today. The meeting was preceded by a telephonic conversation between the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and Mr. Sayeed. Deliberations will resume tomorrow.

Dr. Singh, specially deputed to the Valley by the Congress high command to iron out the differences, particularly over chief ministership, held a detailed meeting with his party legislators. He later met Mr. Sayeed at his Nowgam residence on the outskirts of the city. The one-to-one meeting lasted for about 50 minutes, in which the issue of chief ministership is believed to have been the focus. Even as Dr. Singh conveyed the impressions of his MLAs, the PDP chief reiterated that the people's verdict was to dislodge the National Conference and that his party represented the sentiments of the Kashmiris. Nothing was known of any "package" from the Congress president to persuade the PDP to join a coalition.

Refusing to divulge the details of the meeting, Dr. Singh told mediapersons that "we have met and will meet again tomorrow. Everything was discussed and we have to find a solution," he said adding "there is always a hope of finding solutions.'' Mr. Sayeed gave the slip to presspersons while Dr. Singh was talking to them. "He has to say nothing at the moment,'' said a PDP leader.

On Saturday evening, Ms. Gandhi called up Mr. Sayeed and is believed to have made a bid to persuade him to go along with the Congress stand.

On his arrival from Delhi with the Jammu and Kashmir Congress president, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Dr. Singh drove to the hotel where the Congress MLAs have been staying for the past one week. He sought their views on the contentious issues. The MLAs reiterated their backing for Mr. Azad as Chief Minister and said they were ready to offer the post of Deputy Chief Minister to the PDP. "All the 24 MLAs (four from the Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party) are for Mr. Azad as Chief Minister'' said the PCC vice-president, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed.

The Legislature Party leader of the People's Democratic Forum, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, who met Ms. Gandhi on Saturday and urged her to help end the political uncertainty in the State is still hopeful of a solution.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Manmohan fails to make headway in talks with Mufti

PM to go to Islamabad for SAARC summit: Fernandes

SC, CRA order not violated: Karnataka

'Togadia remarks show utter contempt for Indian ethos'

PM cancels press meet

Anand retains world title

Mosque siege ends

Riots erupt in Thane district

Prisoners go on rampage

Blast in Pak. market

Zubin Mehta's father dead