Cong- PDP ties under strain over troops withdrawal

The spat between Jammu and Kashmir's ruling parties, the Congress and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), has entered its bitterest phase yet, with Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad telling central leaders that appeasing the PDP would harm Congress' interests in the state.

Azad, who consulted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders last weekend, is learnt to have taken a tough stand on the PDP's demand for withdrawal of troops from public places.

Azad's visit to New Delhi came after PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti met the central leaders and sought the withdrawal of troops.

According to sources close to the chief minister, he told the central leaders that the "PDP was making impossible demands to embarrass the government.''

He said succumbing to the PDP's pressure was fraught with unwanted consequences and would damage the party's chances in the Assembly elections, due in two years.

"The Congress would be finished in the state,'' the chief minster reportedly told the central leaders.

It's reliably learnt that Azad linked PDP leader's demand for troops reduction with similar demands from separatist leaders. Azad's assessment of the ground situation in Kashmir is not as rosy as is being made out by the PDP leaders, sources say.

Azad told the central leaders that militants and their well-established overground network was still intact and lowering troop deployment would be dangerous and might lead to more violence.

He pointed out the PDP led Mufti-government had done nothing to break the overground network of the militants, who were well-established in government and security apparatus.