Azad calls on Prime Minister

New Delhi, Mar 19 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed the current political and security situation in the state, amid reports of increasing instability in the state's Congress-led coalition government.

Sources said during the half-an-hour meeting, Mr Azad had a detailed discussion with Dr Singh on sorting out the irritants in the ties between the allies-- the PDP and the Congress.

The PDP-- the junior ally in the coalition -- has threatened to pull out if its demands were not met.

PDP patron and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is expected to meet the Prime Minister tomorrow to discuss the PDP's demands of troop reduction, repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and vacation of agricultural and horticultural land and civilian buildings by the security forces.

Yesterday, Dr Singh telephoned Mr Sayeed and invited him for talks here.

Sharp differences emerged within the 54-month-old coalition in the state over the demands which deepened further after Dr Singh, in a letter on March 14, rejected the PDP's demands.

The PDP has called a meeting of its political affairs committee in Srinagar on March 25 to decide on withdrawing from the coalition.

PDP has stayed away from the last three State Cabinet meetings as a mark of protest Earlier, Dr Singh and Mr Sayeed had exchanged letters on the issue. On March 5, the former chief minister had turned down the Prime Minister's invitation for talks on health grounds and instead written to Dr Singh.

In response, the Prime Minister had said the demand for immediate troop reduction and repeal of AFSPA was unacceptable, though he had agreed to troops vacating civilian properties in a phased manner. Dr Singh had also promised that the centre could review troop reduction proposal in the summer, depending on the scale of violence.

UNI