Mehbooba Mufti, the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislature party, will be sworn-in as the chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir April 4, Press Trust of India reported. She will be the first woman chief minister of the state.
The announcement was made by PDP leader Amitabh Mattoo, who was an adviser to late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Mehbooba would usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in Jammu & Kashmir, Matto said.
The date of the swearing-in ceremony was decided by the PDP and its ally in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), PTI quoted its sources as saying. BJP leader Nirmal Singh, who was elected as the leader of legislature party last week, will take oath as the deputy chief minister.
Both the parties had March 26 staked claim to form a government in the state after about three months of delay.
After the death of former chief minister Mufti Sayeed Jan. 7, differences cropped up between the BJP and the PDP over the implementation of Agenda of Alliance, the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) that was the basis of the coalition government formed March 1 last year.
The reports earlier suggested that the PDP had put forth certain demands with regards to Agenda of Alliance, but the BJP had refused to come under pressure. However, Mehbooba Mufti ironed out the differences during her meeting with BJP President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
