New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to chair a meeting with the mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir here on Thursday afternoon to discuss the future course of action for the Union Territory.

The dialogue with the Kashmiri leaders would be first of its kind since August 5, 2019 when the Centre stripped the erstwhile state of its special status and bifurcated it into two union territories.

On June 19, the Centre sent formal invitations to four former chief ministers – Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mehbooba Mufti, besides four Deputy Chief Ministers – Muzafar Hussain Beigh, Tara Chand, Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta.

Leaders of six other political parties -- Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami of CPI(M), Sajad Gani Lone of Peoples Conference, Mohammad Altaf Bukhari of Apni Party, Prof Bhim Singh of Panthers Party, Ravinder Raina of BJP and G A Mir of Congress were also invited.

(Agencies)