This announcement puts an end to the suspense over whether Mehbooba has agreed to be sworn in as the next chief minister to head the PDP-BJP coalition government.
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He said no conditions had been laid either by the PDP or the BJP for the government formation in the state as all the issues had been thrashed out in “Agenda of Alliance” past year. The family expected the prime minister to come personally and meet them during the bereavement.
After Sayeed died on January 7 at AIIMS in Delhi, political circles were expecting his daughter Mehbooba to take the oath as the chief minister. “I think we will soon arrive at a decision”, he said.
On Sunday morning Congress President Sonia Gandhi visited PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti at her resisdence to offer condolences.
He said the situation is sensitive in the state and it is a hard decision for Mehbooba but she needs to pay attention to suggestions of her workers.
“We will try to fulfill all the assurances given to him on Jammu and Kashmir”, the minister said.
The speculation was only fuelled further by the visit of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to Mehbooba’s residence minutes after the Congress president left the PDP leader’s residence. “Commenting on the development, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said imposition of Governor’s Rule during Vohra’s tenure “must be a record”. “I hope things will continue to function smoothly between BJP and PDP as they have been during the 10-month tenure of the alliance”, Dr Singh, who participated in the Rasm-e-Chahrum of Sayeed in Bijbehara, said. Mehbooba still has a significant part of her political future waiting up ahead in the distance. The lawmakers of PDP are engaged in a meeting in Srinagar to discuss government formation in the state.
Governor, N.N. Vohra has faxed letters to both the PDP and the BJP to “urgently” come forward with proposals about government formation in the state. While the PDP has 28 seats in the 87-member assembly, the BJP has 25, the NC 15 and the Congress 12. Lastly, she could, in the next fortnight or so, don the mantle of Chief Minister, based strictly on an altered power-sharing understanding with the BJP. “All the other stuff is well crafted smoke & mirrors, nothing more”, he wrote on Twitter.
A press statement issued by the Congress also confirmed that none of the senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, had talked politics during their condolence meetings with the Mufti family. Since BJP did not convey its position, the Governor’s rule was imposed.
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“A new situation has emerged after the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed”.
