Sudden demise of Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed is set to alter the power equation within the State BJP unit here in Jammu & Kashmir. Ahead of oath-taking ceremony of new Chief Minister, BJP too is carrying out a fresh exercise based on performance report cards of their Ministers to install new team of Council of Ministers.
BJP may drop names of non-performing Ministers of Mufti Sayeed’s Cabinet to give opportunity to young turks in the party. According to highly placed sources, “BJP is redrawing its strategy and sorting out the names of new MlAs who are likely to take oath as Council of Ministers in the cabinet of Mehbooba Mufti”.
The oath ceremony is most likely to take place after the four days of mourning. Mehbooba Mufti being heir apparent of political legacy of his father is keen on taking the oath on or before January 12, 80 th birthday of Mufti Mohd Sayeed.
PDP MP and former deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig clarified in Srinagar, “Mehbooba Mufti is in mourning and needs some more time before starting afresh”. Baig said there is no constitutional crisis in the State even in the absence of head of the Government. “Governor can send his report to the President of India and take charge as care taker of the Govt for an interim period”, he added.
A Raj Bhavan spokesman stated this evening that besides being in touch with the leadership of the Coalition Government partners, Governor NN Vohra has also addressed letters by fax to Mehbooba Mufti, President PDP and Sat Paul Sharma, President BJP, to urgently inform him about their respective positions regarding formation of the new Government.
Meanwhile,BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav who arrived in Srinagar on Friday met senior BJP leaders after calling on PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti.