By IANS
Jammu : Muzaffar Hussain Baig, a senior leader of the ruling coalition partner People Democratic Party (PDP), was sworn in as deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir here Monday.
Governor S.K. Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy on the lawns of Raj Bhavan, where a large number of PDP functionaries – led by patron and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed – gathered to greet Baig.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and cabinet ministers, mostly from the Congress, were also present.
With his induction, the strength of the council of ministers in the Congress-led government has gone up to 22.
Baig has come back as deputy chief minister after a gap of more than one year. He was forced to quit the post by his party in August last year when he was managing the high profile finance and planning portfolios.
Azad told reporters that the necessity to induct Baig ahead of the expected cabinet expansion, likely to take place at the end of this month, was because of the plan discussions scheduled this week.
Azad said the expansion of the ministry would take place after the bye-elections of Poonch-Haveli constituency Wednesday. The results are expected Dec 15.
Baig is tipped to get the portfolios of planning, tourism, law and parliamentary affairs.
Baig said he would try to live up to the expectations of the PDP leadership and the chief minister.