Sanjeev Pargal/Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Jan 7: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who got the impossible together by bringing PDP and BJP to power in Jammu and Kashmir for first time in history of the State and ended mighty Abdullah family rule twice in the State, passed away at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi around 8 am today after struggling for life with multiple organ failure for 15 days. He was laid to rest at his ancestral town of Bijbehara in Anantnag district with full State honours this evening.
The 79 years old Mufti Sayeed, who had described PDP’s alliance with BJP as combination of North Pole and South Pole, breathed his last at 8 am in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the AIIMS, where he was admitted on December 24 following complaint of uneasiness after he undertook whirlwind tour of Srinagar City for six hours.
Official sources said Sayeed, who initially had symptoms of pneumonia, later got his vital organs involved and was on ventilator for past four days. All out efforts of senior doctors in the AIIMS to revive him failed and he was declared dead at 8 am with her daughter and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who is tipped to be next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, by his bedside along with her mother and other family members besides senior leaders of the PDP.
Mufti Sayeed had been detected with sepsis, decreased blood counts and pneumonia after his admission but later his vital organs were involved and he had to be put on artificial respiratory support in the ICU. He was also suffering from blood infection and hematology related problems and later his immune system was compromised. The end came at 8 am today with cardio respiratory failure. His platelets had dropped dangerously low.
Soon after the news of Mufti Sayeed’s death spread, top political leadership of the country including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Mehbooba Mufti to offer tributes to Sayeed, who would have turned 80 on January 12. It was Mufti Sayeed, who had organized a massive rally for Modi on November 7, 2015 in Srinagar in which the Prime Minister had announced Rs 80,000 crores worth package for the State.
Mufti Sayeed, the 12th Chief Minister of the State, is survived by his wife, Gulshan Ara, three daughters-Dr Mehmooda Sayeed, Mehbooba Mufti and Dr Rubaiya Sayeed and a son Tasaduq Mufti, a Bollywood Director. Barring Mehbooba Mufti, none of his family members is in politics. This was his second stint as the Chief Minister, the previous being from November 2, 2002 to November 2, 2005 as head of PDP-Congress coalition Government.
Mufti became third Chief Minister to die in the office, the previous being Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who had passed away on September 8, 1982. The same day, Sheikh’s son, Dr Farooq Abdullah was elected as the new Chief Minister. However, then it was single party rule of National Conference. Prior to him, Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq, a Congress leader, had died as Chief Minister in Chandigarh during Indo-Pak war in 1971. He was succeeded by Syed Mir Qasim.
With the death of Sayeed, Anantnag Assembly seat, from where he was elected in November-December 2014 elections, has fallen vacant. The election to the seat has to be conducted by the Election Commission within six months.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who flew to Kashmir to join last rites of Mufti Sayeed, met Governor NN Vohra and Mehbooba Mufti separately before returning to New Delhi in which formation of next Government was discussed, sources said, adding Governor NN Vohra returned to Jammu at 6 pm today after attending burial of the Chief Minister.
Though with the death of Sayeed, entire 24 members Council of Ministry ceased to exist, legal experts pointed out that the State can remain without Chief Minister till tomorrow. The Chief Minister was alive today and his successor has to be elected by tomorrow or, otherwise, the Governor will have to assume powers of the State i.e. he will impose his rule for brief period.
“To avert the Constitutional crisis, the new Chief Minister has to be sworn-in by tomorrow,” sources said. If this was not possible, the Governor Rule will become imminent, they added.
PDP leader Naeem Akhter, who was the Government spokesman in Mufti Sayeed led Government, said that the PDP hasn’t initiated any official process so far to install the new Government-either with the Raj Bhawan or with the BJP.
“We have not initiated any process. No letter has been sent to the Governor,” Naeem said.
BJP leader Dr Nirmal Singh here said that their Central leadership will take a call on formation of the new Government just like they had done earlier when Mufti Sayeed was sworn-in as head of PDP-BJP coalition Government on March 1, 2015. The entire Council of Ministers, to whom the new Chief Minister would like to induct in her Council, has to take oath afresh. Sources indicated that this could take time.
BJP Incharge for Jammu and Kashmir Avinash Rai Khanna told the Excelsior that the PDP has not communicated to them so far seeking their support in formation of the new Government.
“We will decide when they seek our support. The BJP hasn’t given any letter of support to the Governor so far,” Khanna said.
Raj Bhawan sources also said they haven’t received any communication from any party for formation of Government till tonight.
“We haven’t received any letter of support or claim from any party for Government formation,” they said but added that the Governor House was engaged in making preparations for oath ceremony even at a short notice. If by tomorrow, the new Chief Minister is not installed, the Governor will impose his Rule in the State, sources said.
Under Jammu and Kashmir Constitution, the Governor can impose his Rule himself in the State for six months.
Sources said the State BJP leadership has conveyed to the Central leaders of the party about prevailing situation and they would now take a call on formation of the new Government. Top BJP leaders including Dr Nirmal Singh, Sat Sharma CA and others, who attended last rites of the Chief Minister, were still in Srinagar and were likely to return here tomorrow morning.
The State Government this morning declared holiday in all State Government offices and educational institutions for one day and State mourning for seven days from January 7 to 13.
There will be no official entertainment during the State mourning. The National and State flags will fly at half mast during the mourning on all buildings and places, where these are flown.
Meanwhile the National Flag flew at half mast today as a mark of respect to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in capitals of all States and Union Territories including New Delhi.
Expressing grief and sorrow over Sayeed’s death, the spokesman said, “As a mark of respect to the departed leader, the National Flag will fly at half mast today in capitals of States and Union Territories, including Delhi, and throughout the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Mufti Sayeed was buried at his ancestral town of Bijbehara in South Kashmir’s district of Anantnag this evening amid full State honours.
Body of Mufti reached at his official residence on Gupkar Road this afternoon amidst sloganeering by supporters and workers of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which he had formed in 1999. His body accompanied by his daughter Mehbooba Mufti and close relatives was flown in a special Indian Air Force plane to Srinagar.
Hundreds of workers and supporters started pouring in to his Gupkar residence early in the morning to pay respects to their leader and express solidarity with the family. Police erected barricades on Gupkar road and it was closed for traffic and security in Srinagar city and along Srinagar-Anantnag national highway was tightened as large number of VIPs were moving around.
Close relatives, senior PDP leaders and some workers were among those who had the final glimpse of Mufti’s body before it was given ablution as per Islamic rites at his official residence.
Thousands of people including large number of party workers had gathered at his official residence from across Kashmir valley to pay tributes to their leader. It was difficult for the security staff to stop the mourners who were later allowed in after proper frisking.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Governor N N Vohra, Minister of State in PM Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chief Minister and Opposition National Conference (NC) working president Omar Abdullah and Dr Nirmal Singh were among those who visited the bereaved family at its Gupkar residence to offer condolences.
Confusion prevailed as there were earlier plans to hold Mufti’s funeral prayers at Bijbehara but the PDP workers raised slogans and demanded that his funeral prayers should be held at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium at Sonawar. The roads leading towards Stadium were closed for traffic and security around the venue was tightened.
Draped in the National Tricolor and State flag, the mortal remains of Chief Minister was taken to Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium as per the demands of the PDP workers where funeral prayers of Mufti was offered. The prayers were led by his trusted aide, Education Minister Naeem Akhtar and were attended besides others by thousands of mourners including Ghulam Nabi Azad and Omar Abdullah.
After the funeral prayers, he was given full state honours, a 21-gun salute, as a police band played the ceremonial Last Post for the deceased Chief Minister. The coffin, in a decked up police vehicle, was later taken in the form of a procession of vehicles to the ancestral town of Bijbehara where thousands of workers and relatives were already waiting for funeral prayers of the Chief Minister.
The prayers were held at Darah Shikwo garden where thousands took part in Mufti’s last rites. He was later buried in the same garden.
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