Srinagar, March 3 -- A day ahead of the first budget session of the Assembly in seven years, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday chaired a joint meeting of coalition parties here to discuss smooth functioning of the house.The meeting, attended by Congress legislative party leader G A Mir and CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami, took place shortly after Omar presided over a separate legislature party meeting of the National Conference at his official residence here.National Conference MLA Ajaz Jan, who attended the joint meeting of legislators, said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured the participants that he is hopeful about J&K's statehood being restored by the end of this year. "The CM also assured that he is hopeful that the statehood would be...