Speaking to media persons here, Khurshid Alam, president of the Employees' Joint Action Committee (EJAC), said: "We have decided to extend the present strike up to April 17."

The strike continued for the ninth day Monday. "On the evening of April 17 we will shut down electric supply across the state symbolically for one hour. If the government does not accede to our demands by then, we will be forced to include all the essential services in our future strike program," he added. The union leader of the striking employees also said pressure tactics of the government would not succeed in breaking up the strike. "There seems to be two governments in the state. On the one hand, the chief minister invites us for talks and one the other hand, police cracks down on us arresting our activists," he said.

"The Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah is well meaning, but he is being wrongly advised by his advisors," Alam said.