Jammu and Kashmir Congress minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed will continue in the council of ministers, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Saturday, a day after he divested him of education portfolio in the wake of examination scandal involving his step-son.
Seventeen former leaders of the Democratic Azad Party (DAP), including ex-deputy chief minister Tara Chand and ex-Pradesh Congress Committee chief Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, on Friday returned to the Congress fold and were welcomed back by the party which said they were on a 'leave of two months'.
The charge of graft was brought up against Sayeed, by a sitting legislator, Shoaib Lone, on Friday last on the floor of the assembly, presently in session in winter capital Jammu.
Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed said on Tuesday that 'the tireless efforts of the state government to open educational institutions and hold exams in time despite the Valley unrest have been vindicated by this year's results which have shown improvement over those of last year.'
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram arrived in Srinagar on Monday afternoon on a two-day visit to Kashmir Valley to review the overall security situation in the state and arrangements made for the annual Amarnath yatra.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah was on Monday sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir
Party president Sonia Gandhi nominated Mukut Mithi (Arunachal Pradesh), Peerzada Sayeed (Jammu and Kashmir), Prabha Rau (Maharashtra), B D Kalla (Rajasthan) and Salman Khurshid (Uttar Pradesh).\n\n
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has directed massive relief and rehab exercise for the effected families and asked his ministerial colleagues Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Prem Sagar Aziz to visit the area on Wednesday for an on-the-spot assessment.
The PDP led by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has decided to stay away from the delimitation process, saying the body lacks 'constitutional and legal mandate' and is part of the overall process of political disempowerment of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday launched a veiled attack on Congress leaders and said he gave sweat and blood for the party unlike those who are spreading 'falsehood' through social media.
A People's Democratic Party member of Legislative Assembly has stoked controversy by saying that only a Muslim can become the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, a view from which his party quickly distanced itself.
The fourth phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir ended peacefully on Sunday recording a turnout of 49 per cent, the lowest compared to the earlier three phases.