J&K: Amid reports of rift with PDP, Shah summons BJP ministers

Amit Shah Amit Shah | PTI

BJP president Amit Shah summoned all ministers of his party in the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir to Delhi for an urgent meeting on Tuesday.

BJP state chief Ravinder Raina and party general secretary (organisation) Ashok Kaul have also been called for the meeting. BJP leaders did not give any reason for the meeting.

News reports quoted BJP leaders as saying the results of the meeting would become clear by Tuesday afternoon. Shah himself is due to visit Jammu and Kashmir on June 23.

However, the meeting comes two days after the Narendra Modi government ended the unilateral suspension of security operations against militants during the holy month of Ramadan. The PDP had indicated that it wanted the the suspension to continue for dialogue with separatists to resume, exposing unease with its coalition partner.

There were 61 terror attacks during Ramadan, and as many as nine security personnel, including four from the Army, were killed. Six civilians were also murdered during the same period. In the counter-infiltration operations during Ramadan, security forces gunned down 24 militants.

Officials said the suspension had given militants a chances to regroup and rearm.

(With agency inputs)