Mufti’s high-flying Minister Altaf returns to Team Mehbooba; PDP keeps one MoS position vacant
TNN Bureau. Updated: 2/18/2017 1:44:10 AM
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JAMMU: In a bid to consolidate Peoples Democratic Party’s position ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Central Kashmir and South Kashmir Lok Sabha segments, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today brought Amirakadal MLA Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, who was a high profile Minister in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s team, back to the cabinet.
Governor NN Vohra administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy as Cabinet Minister to Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari at the Raj Bhavan here today. Mehbooba has kept one position of Minister vacant in the Peoples Democratic Party quota. As per the arrangement between the two coalition partners, the PDP has 14 seats in the Council of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, which the BJP has 11 seats, including the Deputy Chief Minister and party’s ally the Peoples Conference.
A simple yet impressive swearing in ceremony at the Raj Bhawan was attended by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Kumar Singh, Speaker Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta, Legislators, leaders of political parties, top bureaucrats and media persons.
A prominent business tycoon of the state, Bukhari was Minister for Works in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed government. However, after Mufti’s death Bukhari was allegedly in touch with the Bhartiya Janta Party, a rumour which is believed to have annoyed the PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. Mehbooba was then indecisive about forming government with the BJP in absence of reassurance on the Agenda of Alliance, but some legislators were believed to be inclined at early formation of government with or without Mehbooba. It was widely speculated in the political circles between January and March 2016 that Bukhari was leading such a group of MLAs, a charge later denied by Amirkadal MLA who had said that he will continue to work for the party.
Amidst allegations and speculations, Mehbooba didn’t include Bukhari in her team when she finally decided to form the government with BJP in April last year. However, later in the year there were reports of reconciliation when Bukhari helped the party and the government in peace efforts during the turmoil that erupted after killing of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani.