Wednesday, September 20 2006 16:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: After the easing of tensions between the two partners in Jammu and Kashmir's ruling coalition, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and apprised her of the political situation in the state.

Mehbooba, the daughter of former chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, also raised issues like an increase in the state's Haj quota and release of the second installment of relief for victims of last year's killer earthquake during the meeting yesterday (Sept 19,2006).

"I met the Congress president and requested an increase in the Haj quota for Jammu and Kashmir and also release of the second installment of relief for people affected by last year's quake," Mehooba told sources on phone from Srinagar today.

However, Congress sources termed the meeting as an effort by the PDP to rebuild bridges with the Congress after last month's spat between the two sides over the continuance of PDP leader Muzzafar Hussain Beigh as deputy chief minister.

The PDP had nominated Abdul Aziz Zargar as its legislature party head, replacing Beigh, but did not press for a deputy chief minister's post as his name had allegedly figured in the investigation into the Akshardam attack after a confession by Lashker-e-Taiba militants that they had stayed in his anscestral home in Kashmir.

About her father's visit to the UN, Mehbooba said she was not aware as to which organisation had invited him to present his viewpoint on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.