HEADLINES POLL ARCHIVES FEEDBACK SEARCH REDIFF NEWSLINKS US EDITION NEWS DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ARCHIVES
Basharaat Peer, Mukhtar Ahmad and Onkar Singh in Srinagar
The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Girish Chandra Saxena, on Wednesday granted time till October 21 to major political parties to stake claim to form the new state government.
"The talks that the governor had with the presidents of the National Conference, the Congress party and the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party have not clarified the developing political situation adequately enough to enable the governor to reach a decision for moving towards a resolution of the issue in accordance with the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir constitution," a statement issued from the Raj Bhavan said.
"The governor is therefore, requesting the NC, the Congress and the PDP leaders to meet him along with the duly elected leaders of the legislature parties at a mutually convenient time on any day before 1700 hours IST on October 21," it said.
It said the party/parties staking claim to form the government should bring 'valid letters of support' from other parties or individual MLAs supporting them.
Earlier in the day, Jammu and Kashmir Congress Committee chief Ghulam Nabi Azad and the Communist Party of India-Marxist state chief Yousuf Tarigami had met the governor and requested more time for cobbling up a coalition.
The PDP chief, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, had met the governor on Tuesday and presented his party's views on the efforts to form a government.
Azad has welcomed the governor's decision saying, "It would give us more time to sort out matters." He hoped that by October 21 the Congress and the PDP would arrive at an understanding to form a stable government.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
