An apparent breach of protocol provided the trigger for the simmering differences between state Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha and Jammu and Kashmir [Images] Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed to come to the fore when Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil was on a day-long visit to Kashmir on Sunday.

Sayeed stayed away from a crucial security review meeting chaired by Patil at the Nehru guest house on Sunday afternoon.

State government sources in Srinagar [Images] said the meeting invitation sent out by Raj Bhavan had omitted to include Sayeed for lunch, which would follow the meeting.

• J&K governor takes personal interest in Amarnath Yatra

Miffed over the breach of protocol, the chief minister chose to stay away from the meeting.

Sources said that there was more to Mufti's decision to stay away from the meeting than the mere breach of protocol by Raj Bhavan.

It must be recalled that relations between the CM and the governor have been strained ever since the governor in his capacity as chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board insisted on having a two-month-long yatra as against the traditional one month, which was favoured by the CM.

The CM had said that providing security to the thousands of yatris would put the security apparatus under heavy strain, which was already overburdened dealing with militancy.