This story is from October 5, 2005

Mufti to hand over reins to Cong in Nov

NEW DELHI: The change of guard in J-K will take place on schedule in the second week of next month.
Mufti to hand over reins to Cong in Nov
NEW DELHI: The change of guard in Jammu and Kashmir, conceived as part of the power-sharing deal between Congress and People's Democratic Party (PDP), will take place on schedule in the second week of next month with Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad likely to succeed Mufti Mohammed Sayeed as chief minister.
The new team may be pruned from the present 40 to about 25 amid indications that a clear political message may be sent with the induction of a Kashmiri Pandit in the ministry.
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There are also pointers to suggest Sayeed may be moved to the Centre and offered the tourism portfolio, which he held way back under the Rajiv Gandhi dispensation. He had then walked out to join hands with V P Singh.
Azad was recently called by UPA chief Sonia Gandhi and PM Manmohan Singh met him last Saturday to sound him out on the shape of things to come, sources in the government said. Congress sources confirmed that things are moving in that direction. The Mufti also called on the PM on Tuesday, but refused to comment on the change of guard.
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