Mehbooba to be J&K’s 1st woman CM

2 PDP seniors give letter to government

Two senior PDP leaders Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and Syed Altaf Bukhari on Thursday evening met Jammu and Kashmir governor N.N. Vohra here to hand over a letter of support in favour of party president Mehbooba Mufti to be the next chief minister of the state.

The letter, sources said, claims that Ms Mufti has been nominated as the leader of the PDP Legislature Party following the death of her father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and enjoys the support of its coalition partner, the BJP, as well. The PDP’s tally has come down to 27 following the death of its patron who won election from southern Anantnag constituency.

The BJP made it clear it will go with the PDP’s choice. “It is for PDP to decide who will be their leader,” BJP vice-president and its J&K in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna said.

The oath-taking ceremony of Ms Mufti is likely to take place soon, most probably on Friday or early Saturday. Earlier reports had said that she is disinclined to take over as the chief minister till Rasm-e-Qul, or the customary fourth-day ceremony, of her deceased father is over. She has been explained that there is a constitutional hitch in delaying the appointment of a new chief minister. PDP sources maintained that there is no constitutional or political crisis as such as is being suggested by some people.

They said Ms Mufti is in deep shock and it may take some time before she reconciles to taking over her father’s mantle. Raj Bhavan sources said the governor may after administering the oath of office to Ms Mufti and ask her to prove her majority on the floor of the Assembly within 15 days.