Panaji: Asserting the Vajpayee government was committed to devolution of power, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on March 16 said the Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir N N Vohra had been given the go ahead to hold talks with Hurriyat leaders and other groups which may subscribe to separatism but are not engaged in violence.

He said legitimate grievances of the people of the state would be addressed and the thrust of the government was to find a solution to the problem.

A similar approach was being used to tackle insurgency in the North East, Advani told reporters in Panaji.

Saying the last two decades had seen over-centralisation of power at the Centre, he said the government favoured devolution of power to states, particularly Jammu and Kashmir and the North East.

In the devolution process, not only the relations between New Delhi and Srinagar had to be rearranged, there had to be similar devolution of power between Srinagar and Leh and Srinagar and Jammu.

The Deputy Prime Minister ruled out holding talks with any group engaged in militancy and those who wanted the involvement of Pakistan in the dialogue.

He said if any militant group wanted to hold talks it had to lay down arms.

Sidestepping questions on names for a new Governor in the state, Advani said consultations were still on but refused to say whether he would be a politician or a former military man.

PTI