Governor’s rule has been imposed in Jammu and Kashmir as People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti refused to take oath as Chief Minister till the four- day mourning period for her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was over.
The Raj Bhawan had sent letters on Friday evening to the PDP and BJP in the state to know their positions on government formation after CM Sayeed died in Delhi on Thursday morning.
A Raj Bhawan spokesman had told the media that a final call would be taken by Governor N.N. Vohra on Saturday evening on whether Central rule should be imposed or not for a brief spell. Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Ram Madhav had earlier held a brief discussion with Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar regarding government formation. Madhav also held discussions with BJP lawmakers about the formation of the new government to be headed by Mehbooba.
Governor Vohra was, in fact, to take charge of the administration of the state from Friday evening as Mehbooba had refused to be sworn-in till the mourning period was over, “as she is not in the state of mind to take any responsibility”.
According to the Constitution of J&K, the Chief Minister’s post cannot be kept vacant and it is a constitutional requirement to impose Governor’s rule. According to PDP insiders, Mehbooba is in deep shock and refused to take the oath of office on Friday to avoid Governor’s rule. She had apparantly told her party leaders to let there be a brief period of Governor’s rule as she was not “mentally ready to take oath” or take on any responsibility in the present circumstances. Earlier, two senior PDP leaders Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and Altaf Bukhari submitted a letter to Raj Bhawan nominating Mehbooba Mufti as the leader of the PDP’s legislature party, clearing the decks for her to become the Chief Minister of the state.