Not willing to become Jammu-Kashmir CM, says Mehbooba

Putting to rest speculation about her taking over as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday made it clear that she was “not” willing to take up the job.

“No I don’t want to,” was her reply to a question about whether she would be soon taking over the helm of affairs in the militancy-hit state.

Mehbooba, who was participating at the ‘Aaj Tak agenda’ programme, said the talk about her taking over as the chief minister was started by her father and incumbent Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, but “I have said no to him as well”.

“I am not comfortable. I generally don’t disagree with my father but this is a point on which I have,” she said and reasoned that the PDP-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in the state needed a leader of the stature of Sayeed to run it.

“My father believes in conviction rather than convenience. He has done this alliance for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and not to make his daughter chief minister,” she said.

In response to a question that BJP was not comfortable over her being made the chief minister as her “nationalistic credentials” were doubtful and her politics was more akin to separatists groups like Hurriyat, Mehbooba replied that she “did not require a certificate from anyone”.

“I follow my conviction and nothing else. I will raise the issue when ever I find that there is something wrong,” she said.