Leaders must talk to PM on Kashmir issue: Soz

Jammu: The Congress in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday said the party was in favour of dialogue on the Kashmir issue and invited the state's leaders for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"Congress wants dialogue on all issues. Let the Kashmir leaders come forward and hold talks with Prime Minister," state party chief Saif-uddin-Soz told a public rally in Mumbai.

He said Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and the Prime Minister were always forthcoming.

"Some people had raised their voices in Kashmir to resolve the Kashmir issue, but Congress had said suffocation in politics should be resolved, there is no other way," he said, referring to Kashmiri separatist leaders.

Congress believes in strengthening basic democratic institutions of panchayats and urban bodies, and therefore supports the adoption of 73rd and 74th amendment of the Constitution, the former Union minister said.