Omar Abdullah hails Modi for inviting SAARC leaders

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Wednesday described as "excellent" Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi's move to invite Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other SAARC leaders for his swearing-in ceremony.

Abdullah expressed the hope that it would be the beginning of sustained talks between India and Pakistan.

"Excellent move by @narendramodi to invite SAARC leaders, especially Pak PM for his swearing in. Hope this is beginning of sustained talks," Abdullah wrote in his twitter handle.

Besides, he wondered how Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party would have reacted if the Congress was re-elected and invited Sharif.

"At the same time, I can't help wonder what the BJP would have said if a PM designate (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi had done the same thing," he wrote.

Modi decided to invite heads of all the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries for his swearing-in ceremony May 26.

Modi, who was Tuesday elected leader of the BJP parliamentary party, will take oath May 26 as India's 14th prime minister.