Srinagar, Oct. 30: The Congress Legislature Party that met here today unanimously elected Ghulam Nabi Azad as its leader.

The announcement was made by the party’s general secretary, Ambika Soni.

“One of the biggest challenges I face in my new role as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir is to tackle the menace of corruption. Any minister, MLA or government official found involved in corruption would be immediately sacked,” Azad said after his election.

Coalition partner People’s Democratic Party elected state finance and planning minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig as the leader of its legislature party, clearing the decks for him to take the deputy chief minister’s chair. The Congress had wanted the party chief, Mehbooba Mufti, to become the deputy chief minister.

The new cabinet headed by Azad will be sworn in here on Wednesday.

Azad thanked outgoing chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for his hard work in the past three years and for the smooth functioning of the government.

The healing touch policy, which was part of the Congress manifesto during the 2002 Assembly elections, would be continued, Azad said.

He appealed to the people and parties of Jammu and Kashmir who are still outside the fray of mainstream politics to join the democratic process of elections.

“We have extended full support to Mufti sahib in the past and I am confident that all our allies in the People’s Democratic Party, CPM, Panthers’ Party, People’s Democratic Front and Independents would continue to support me in the next three years so that the common minimum programme is taken to its logical conclusion.”