Mehbooba Mufti to be Jammu and Kashmir’s first woman CM

READ: Omar accuses Mehbooba of wavering on govt formation

The crucial PDP meet to “decide on the future of the government”, after party chief Mehbooba met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, began on Thursday afternoon. But even before government formation could be discussed, senior PDP leader A R Veeri

proposed Mehbooba’s name as the leader of legislature party, leading to her unanimous election.

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“I thank you for the trust you have reposed in me by choosing me as the legislature party leader. I congratulate you for standing behind me for almost three months. It was a tough test for us but you didn’t show any urgency or worry. Mehbooba Mufti has no power. Mehbooba Mufti’s power is you — legislators, workers.”

Mehbooba is likely to take the oath of office in a few days but sources said it would be tough for her to convince her party’s leaders and legislators on why government formation was delayed for so long.

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti.

Her situation has become more precarious after BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said that his party “did not accept any new conditions” from PDP. He added that Mufti had not made any conditions for government formation and that her meeting with Prime Minister Modi was only to “seek his blessings”.

Even as PDP rebel Tariq Hameed Karra attended Thursday’s meet, PDP’s decision to form the government, without any concrete and public assurances from BJP, would be seen as “a meek surrender”, said sources.

Meanwhile, the BJP legislature party is meeting in Jammu on Friday. Madhav and Union Minister of State Jitindera Singh are likely to attend the meet that would decide on extending the party’s support to Mufti.

On Friday evening, top leaders of both parties are likely to meet Governor N N Vohra separately where they are likely to stake the claim for government formation.