Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Apr 2: Governor, N N Vohra today invited Mehbooba Mufti, president People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to form and lead the PDP-BJP coalition Government in the State.
The Governor’s invitation to Ms Mufti followed the earlier discussions with the PDP and BJP presidents regarding formation of government in the State and subsequent communications received from her and president State BJP, Sat Sharma.
The oath ceremony is scheduled to be held on April 4 at 11am at the Raj Bhawan here. With this, over two and half month long Governor rule in the State will come to an end which was imposed on January 8 after the demise of former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on January 7.
According to sources, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Venkiah Naidu will attend the swearing in ceremony. Naidu will reach here in the morning of April 4 along with Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh and both the Union Ministers will straightway reach to Raj Bhawan to participate in oath ceremony of PDP-BJP Council of Ministers.
Dr Jitendra Singh who is visiting here tomorrow morning to participate in the concluding session of two days State Working Committee meeting of the party that started here, today will return to Union Capital in the evening and later visit again next day along with Naidu, sources added.
Meanwhile, BJP Legislature Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister designate Dr Nirmal Singh maintained that the new PDP- BJP coalition Government headed by Mehbooba Mufti will concentrate on good governance.
He said the Agenda of Alliance (AoA) framed during the time of former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and BJP will be the corner stone for governance.
Talking to reporters at the side lines of Party’s two day long State Executive meeting here today, Dr Singh said the Agenda of Alliance is a sacred document for both the parties and they will strictly stick to it. He also rejected that there was any give and take formula on the Government formation between the two parties and maintained that restoration of peace and development of the State will be the focal point for alliance partners.
He also ruled out that there was any misunderstanding between the two parties when asked the reasons for delaying the formation of Government for nearly three months. “BJP was ready from the very first day for formation of Government in the State but it was the alliance partner which took some time as they wanted to do proper exercise before taking the final decision’’, he added.
On the distribution of portfolios among the Ministers, Dr Singh said there are two days still left for Government formation and senior leaders will sit together to decide the same.
He, however, ruled out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the oath ceremony on April 4 saying that he is preoccupied with his busy schedule.
Dr Singh said Mehbooba Mufti, who will be first woman Chief Minister of the State, has a broad vision and she will prove a successful Chief Minister.
Follow our WhatsApp channel