Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Mohammed Sayeed is in the capital trying his best to convice Congress president Sonia Gandhi that she should let him continue as the chief minister of the state for one more year. As per the agreement between the Congress party and the People's Democratic Party Sayeed's three-year term comes to an end on November 2, 2005.
Sayeed, who flew into the capital on Monday was expected to go back on Tuesday evening, but continued his stay beyond Tuesday and is expected to prolong his stay in the capital even on Thursday. "No, the chief minister is not going back to Srinagar on Thursday," an official of his entourage told rediff.com.
Sayeed had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday and tried to prevail upon him to let the PDP government continue in office on the grounds of good performance. Sayeed claimed that big strides have been made on the peace front between India and Pakistan during his tenure.
Mehbooba Mufti, who claimed ignorance about Sayeed's mission in Delhi, had met Sonia last week to probe her mind.
It was after her return to Srinagar that Sayeed flew into the capital. Three years ago, Mufti had a played a major role in making her father chief minister of the state and it was her conversation with Sonia that paved the way for the PDP chief minister. Congress won 20 seats, while PDP had only 16.
"I do not think that there is going to be any change in the handing over of power to a Congress-led government at the moment," senior Congress leader Siafuddin Soz told rediff.com from Srinagar on phone.
Congress's nominee for chief ministership Gulam Nabi Azad had also told reporters in Hyderabad that the power would be handed over on time unless Sonia has other ideas.
"Whether Sayeed will succeed or not is in the realm of speculations. As things stand, we will have a Congress chief minister in November," said a senior Congress leader.