January 08, 2025 09:15 pm (IST)
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Mufti takes oath as J&K CM, urges for peace in state
Jammu, Mar 1 (IBNS): After being sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, whose People's Democratic Party (PDP) entered into an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the government in the northern state, said peace is must to yield development here.
"To make Jammu and Kashmir a model of development like Gujarat, peace is a pre-requisite here," Sayeed said while addressing media after he took the oath of office at Jammu University's General Zorawar Singh Auditorium in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said he has no inclination to focus on past and wants to look forward.
"I don't want to dig the past or criticise any party, I only want to look into the future. I want to join the North Pole and the South Pole. We have got the mandate to get people together," said he.
"We want to make this alliance a turning point in trying to meet the hearts and minds of the people," Sayeed said while speaking about the alliance with the BJP.
"We have a historic opportunity today, we want a new chapter for Jammu and Kashmir," he added.
He invited all parties including the Congress as well as the separatists to contribute their views in running an atmosphere of peace in his state.
"I say let's take Hurriyats and separatists on board too, they also have a view point,' said he.
Sayeed said he wants the Indian government to start a dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Kashmir has been a problem for every PM since 1947. I told the PM that we should be friends with Pakistan," said he.
Speaking on some developments he want to make, the new CM said, "Unemployment is the main challenge. We want to create people employers here."
"We want to be fair and have a transparent system," said he.
On being asked about the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) issues, he said, "Not disappointed on AFSPA issue. Are you interested in peace or withdrawal of AFSPA?"
Amid a historic political alliance between the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former's supremo Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took oath as the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday at a special ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.
BJP's Nirmal Singh took oath and is set to be the state's Deputy Chief Minister.
Twelve leaders each from BJP and PDP also took oath of office and secrecy including Abdul Rahman Bhat, Chandra Prakash, Javed Mustafa Mir, Chaudhri Lal Singh, Bali Bhagat, Sajjad Lone, Chaudhary Zulfiqar Ali, Sukhnandan Kumar, Syed Basharat Ahmad Bukhari, Ghulam Nabi Lone, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Haseeb Drabu, Imran Reza Ansari, Tsering Dorjay, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Sunil Kumar Sharma and Abdul Majeed .
Besides Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, party veteran LK Advani were also present at the stage along with several union ministers, who attended the ceremony held at Jammu University's General Zorawar Singh Auditorium.
PDP MP Mehbooba Mufti was also seated beside the BJP leaders during the swearing-in ceremony.
Tight security was put up all around the auditorium.
Meanwhile, former state CM Omar Abdullah did not attend the ceremony.
Abdullah tweeted: "Congratulations to Mufti Mohd Syed Sb on assuming the office of CM of J&K. I wish you all the very best for your term as CM."
"BJP Ministers swearing allegiance to the same constitution of J&K that Shyama Prasad Mukherjee died trying to get rid of #irony," Abdullah posted.
The Congress party also skipped the ceremony.
Two months after a fractured mandate stood in the way of a government coming to power, People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti and BJP president Amit Shah had struck a deal on a Common Minimum Programme towards formation of the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
The deal reached between Mebooba Mufti and Amit Shah ended two months of negotiations between the two parties aimed at narrowing differences over various contentious issues, including the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
The electorate of Jammu and Kashmir elected a hung Assembly in December last year with the PDP emerging as the single largest party with 28 seats in the 87-member House.
The BJP emerged as the second largest party with 25 seats followed by the National Conference at 15 and Congress with 12. Smaller parties and independents won seven seats.
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