Tackling graft in coalition 'impossible': Omar

Tackling corruption in a coalition government was an "impossible" task, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said and urged that the electorate to give a clear mandate to a single party to fight the menace.

Tackling corruption in a coalition government was an "impossible" task, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said and urged that the electorate to give a clear mandate to a single party to fight the menace.

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In his opening address at the second Asian forum on global governance, Omar said coalition governments would not be able to fight corruption as many compromises have to be made in a coalition set-up.

"If corruption is to be fought effectively, people should elect single party governments," he was quoted as saying in a release issued by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

ORF, along with Germany-based ZEIT Stiefrung, are organising the event.

However, at the same time, Omar, who is leading a coalition government in the state, did not foresee any single-party majority at the Centre in the near future.

Demanding more powers for states, the Chief Minister voiced concern over the tendency of leading ruling parties at the Centre to keep power in their hands.

During the session, part of ten-day Asian forum themed on 'Negotiating Governance in a Multi-polar World', Omar faced a volley of questions on Indo-Pak relations and managing the affairs in Jammu and Kashmir from young leaders of 27 countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, the UK, the US, France and Germany.