J&K government by January-end; BJP to opt for woman leader

Jammu, Jan 19: As the new government in Jammu and Kashmir should be in place by January-end, the BJP is likely to place a woman leader in charge of party affairs in the state to streamline coordination with coalition partner PDP, highly-placed BJP sources here said.

"Now that the initial hiccups are over, the next Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party government should be in place before the end of this month," the sources told IANS.

The sources said BJP general secretary Ram Madhav is likely to have a lesser role in the state once PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti assumes charge as chief minister.

Madhav is looking after BJP affairs in Jammu and Kashmir since the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led government took office on March 1, last year.

"The party high command is looking for a woman leader to coordinate issues with the PDP since Ram Madhavji will get busy with elections in Assam and other states.

"The new incharge of state BJP is likely to be a woman holding important position in the central government and the party," the sources said.

Mehbooba Mufti is likely to need more support from the BJP to anchor herself as the first woman chief minister of the country's only Muslim-majority state.

"She has to carry forward the legacy of her late father, but doesn't have his political stature or experience. She needs to prove her governance capabilities quickly.

"For that, she needs a more direct access to the BJP high command. She must have somebody on a one-on-one equation to work things out in Delhi," PDP sources said.

Ram Madhav and PDP leader Haseeb Drabu last year drafted the agenda of alliance that formed the basis for power-sharing between the BJP and the PDP in the state.

IANS