Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today congratulated PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on becoming the first woman chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and wished her a peaceful, effective and successful stint.
Azad, a former J and K chief minister, was invited by Mehbooba personally for her oath-taking function but he could not attend it due to prior commitments in Chennai and Assam, his office said in a statement.
Azad, who is currently the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, exuded confidence that Mehbooba will work hard for the welfare of people and progress of the state.
Azad had headed a Congress-PDP government in the state (November 2005) but had to resign as Chief Minister in July 2008 as PDP had withdrawn its support to his government after a decision to transfer government land to the Amarnath shrine led to widespread protests there.
After nearly three months of Governor's rule, Jammu and Kashmir today got its first woman chief minister as Mehbooba was sworn-in with her cabinet ministers.
The new government has been formed after the state was put under Governor's rule following the death of Mehbooba's father and then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on January 8.
