Mehbooba Mufti, BJP Stake Claim To Form Government In Jammu And Kashmir

Srinagar: The PDP and the BJP today called on Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra and staked claim to form the new government under Mehbooba Mufti. The date for the swearing in has not been decided yet, sources said.

Ms Mufti, who will be the first woman Chief Minister of the state, said, "Jammu and Kashmir is not like any other state, it has social, political and economic needs. The PM has reassured us, I am very satisfied with it."

It was Ms Mufti's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday that broke the deadlock that had persisted for well over two months.

Two days ago, the PDP legislature party had elected her its leader and named her the party chief ministerial candidate. BJP legislators in Jammu yesterday elected Nirmal Singh as its leader. He will again be the Deputy Chief Minister in the new cabinet, a post he had under Mufti Mohammed Sayeed who died in January.

At the meeting, the BJP had announced its backing for a PDP-BJP government led by Ms Mufti. Mr Singh handed over the letter of BJP's support to Governor Vohra today.

The state has been under Governor's Rule since early January after the death of former chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

The PDP chief had refused to succeed her father as the chief minister, demanding that the BJP honour the conditions laid down in the Agenda of Alliance, a blueprint crafted when the two parties decided on co-governing the state.