Riyaz Ul Khaliq

SRINAGAR

CM designate Ms Mehbooba Mufti

CM designate Ms Mehbooba Mufti

As Jammu and Kashmir is expected to have a public government in office by 12 noon April 04, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers and other party functionaries are on way to winter capital.

Reports and sources said that CM designate and PDP Chief, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, flew to Jammu on Sunday afternoon while many other leaders too have reached in Jammu for the oath taking ceremony.

After PDP and right wing Hindu nationalist, BJP, revived the alliance following Mehbooba’s meeting with PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi in alter half of March, the PDP chief staked claim of government formation with Governor N N Vohra.

On Saturday, an official spokesperson from Raj Bhawan Jammu, while officially inviting Ms Mehbooba Mufti to form government announced that the oath taking ceremony will be held at Raj Bhawan at 11:00 AM.

Besides others, former CM Omar Abdullah, was personally invited by Ms Mufti for the oath ceremony when Mehbooba will be sworn-in-as first woman CM of J&K in over last 1000 years.

The invites for the function which is expected to be a low key affair, sources said, includes top 20 women across India.

The top invitation list includes women faces from politics to media to sports.

Sources said that while Congress president Sonia Ghandhi tops the list, Sania Mirza and Barkha Dutt to have been invited by Ms Mufti.

Besides, the four Chief Ministers which rule Tamil Nadu in South, West Bengal in East and Gujarat and Rajasthan in West have been invited for the oath taking ceremony.

Jammu and Kashmir is under direct Union government rule since January 07 when father of Ms Mehbooba and former CM, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, breathed his last in AIIMS, New Delhi.

Ms Mufti had refused to take over as CM as she asked for J&K specific CBMs. However, the ice starting breaking when Ms Mufti flew to Union capital and held one-on-one meeting with PM Modi.

After hopes were revived in the unionist political circles that PDP and BJP will form government soon post Modi-Mufti meet, it faced several internal hiccups.

If sources are to be believed, BJP was indecisive whom to give new task in the Mehbooba led cabinet.

Reports had suggested that BJP was asking for two more cabinet berths which were not accepted by the PDP.

“BJP state unit had brought in two new faces instead of Sukhnandan Kumar and Lal Singh, however, the duo flied to New Delhi and were adamant to retain their ministries,” sources said, “when BJP faced internal heat they approached PDP seeking ‘equal portfolios’ which was turned down.”

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