Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 24: The suspense over Government formation is over and decks have been cleared for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, to take over as the first woman Chief Minister after she was this evening unanimously elected as the Legislature Party leader and nominated as the party’s CM candidate.
Mehbooba, 56, was elected as the leader of PDP Legislature Party at a meeting which was attended by all MPs, MLAs and MLCs, at her residence here this evening. PDP will now need a letter of support from Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) to form coalition Government in the State.
Senior PDP leader and MP, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, told reporters after the one-and-a-half-hour long meeting: “A meeting of all the senior leaders of PDP was held. During the meeting, the legislators of the party decided that Mehbooba Mufti should be the leader of the Legislature Party and be nominated as a candidate for the post of Chief Minister of the State.”
Baig said that formation of a democratically elected Government is now a mere formality. “Now the only thing that is to be done is to meet the Governor. Mehbooba Mufti and the leader of BJP have to fix a date for swearing in. It is only a formality. The dye has been cast and we expect that in the very near future a political Government will be in the seat,” he said.
The PDP leader said that there are no new conditions as Agenda of Alliance between the two parties is detailed document. “No, no…The Agenda of the Alliance is very comprehensive. There is no need to put any new issue.”
Baig said that the BJP general secretary Ram Madhav was right in saying that there were no new conditions for Government formation. “He is right, there are no new conditions. The Agenda of Alliance was formed after a detailed meeting between Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the Prime Minister”, he said adding: “Nothing can be added to it and nothing can be removed from it.”
Earlier, while addressing the meeting, Mehbooba Mufti said: “Mehbooba Mufti is nothing without your support. You are my strength…I thank you for your support over the last three months. It was tough time and you stood by me. I am thankful to senior party leaders, MLAs, MLCs and MPs. I thank you for choosing me as Legislature Party leader and giving me mandate to take decision on Government formation,” she said.
The Government formation gained momentum after Mehbooba met the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday. It put an end to the stalemate that was between PDP and BJP since January 7 after the death of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Mehbooba was demanding assurance from the highest level in BJP on implementation of Agenda of Alliance and some Confidence Building Measures before the formation of the Government. However, it is not yet clear what assurances she got from the PM but she expressed her satisfaction after meeting the PM.
PDP spokesman, Naeem Akhtar told reporters after the meeting that the party president Mehbooba Mufti was elected the leader of the Legislature Party unanimously and was also nominated as the Chief Ministerial candidate.
“Besides all the 27 PDP MLAs, the meeting was also attended by Independent MLA from Zanskar, Syed Bakar Ali Rizvi who pledged his support to Mehbooba Mufti,” said the PDP spokesman.
“The proceedings of the Legislature Party meeting were initiated by senior PDP leader and Member Parliament, Muzaffar Hussain Baig while another senior leader and Member Parliament, Tariq Hameed Karra also addressed the meeting. Senior party leader and legislator, Abdul Rehman Veeri proposed the name of Mehbooba Mufti as the Legislature Party leader and Chief Ministerial nominee while another senior leader and legislator Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari seconded it”, said Akhtar.
The PDP spokesman said Chairman Legislative Council, Haji Anayat Ali, the party’s Rajya Sabha members, Nazir Ahmad Laway and Fayaz Ahmad Mir and the members of the Legislative Council were also present at the meeting.”Following the nomination of Mehbooba Mufti as the PDP Legislature Party leader and the Chief Ministerial candidate, further Constitutional requirement and the process for the Government formation would be taken to the logical conclusion in consultation and coordination with the coalition partner BJP,” he said.
Earlier in the morning, Mehbooba visited the grave of her father at Bijbehara in South Kashmir and offered prayers.
Mehbooba was accompanied by one of her daughters and uncle Mufti Mohammad Amin.
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