J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Passes Away

His daughter, Mehbooba Mufti, is poised to take over as the new chief minister.

J&K State Education Minister Naeem Akhtar announced that Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away after being in critical condition for the past few days.

Setting a milestone in the state polity, he had earlier served as CM of Jammu and Kashmir between 2002-2005 when his party formed a coalition with Congress after winning just 16 Assembly seats.

The current administration was the second time Mr. Sayeed headed a coalition government.

As the news of his demise broke out, President Pranab Mukherjee took to Twitter to express condolence.

A suave politician, Sayeed, who has changed political allegiances frequently, was at the helm of internal security as Home Minister when militancy reared its head in the Valley triggering the infamous exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990.

“First, the PDP legislature party will have to elect her as its leader”.

Mr Sayeed became a state minister in the Congress Party government in 1971. His short stint there (1989-90) was marred by the kidnapping by Kashmiri militants, of his daughter Rubaiyya Sayeed.

Kashmir, claimed by both India and Pakistan in its entirety, has been a flashpoint for more than 60 years, and the South Asian rivals have fought two wars over the region.