There was a lot of running around to discuss the terms of the coalition that the BJP and PDP sought to structure.
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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti became Jammu and Kashmir’s first woman chief minister on Monday, a tag she is uncomfortable with, as she took oath to head a 22-member coalition ministry with the BJP.
New J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti exchages greetings with former Union minister Farooq Abdullah, former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and other guests after taking oath at Raj Bhavan in Jammu.
The alliance marked the first time the rightwing BJP held a leadership position in the Muslim-majority region also claimed by India’s archenemy, Pakistan.
All other departments including Home and Tourism and others which have not been assigned to any of the ministers has been kept by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti with herself.
The BJP also dropped two ministers Sukhnanadan Kumar and Pawan Gupta who served as Cabinet rank and minister of state in the previous government.
After the oath, Mehbooba drove to secretariat in Jammu to chair the first meeting of her ministers.
The 56-year-old succeeds her father Mufti Mohammad Saeed who died in January this year.
Mehbooba dropped four PDP leaders who were ministers in her father’s team amid suspicion they had been cosying up to the BJP.
“It is the Chief Minister’s prerogative …”
Meanwhile, slamming the newly appointed CM for not bringing in new faces in the council of ministers, MP and senior PDP leader Tariq Hamid Karra yesterday boycotted Mufti’s swearing-in ceremony. “Development, good governance and corruption-free administration will remain the key focus of her government and there will be no compromise on it”, she said.
Earlier in the day, the Governor’s rule that was imposed 86 days ago in the wake of uncertainty following Sayeed’s death was lifted to enable popular government to be sworn-in.
The PDP emerged as the largest single party with 28 of the regional legislature’s 87 seats; the BJP won 25 seats – all in Hindu-dominated districts. In the meeting between Mehbooba and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi Last month, have finally preserved the deal for both of the parties.
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However, after the mourning period was over, the PDP said it was looking for assurances and confidence building measures from the Centre on implementation of Agenda of Alliance – common minimum programme of the two parties – before forming the new government.
