Azad takes oath on Wednesday. (Reuters)

Srinagar, Nov. 2: Ghulam Nabi Azad was today sworn in as the first Congress chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir in 30 years.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed stepped down in keeping with the pact between the People’s Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Congress, to have their leaders in the hot seat for three years each.

Governor Lt Gen. (retd) S.K. Sinha administered the oath of office to Azad and his 13-member council of ministers at the heavily-guarded Centaur Lake View Hotel on the banks of Dal Lake.

The PDP’s Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, Abdul Aziz Zargar, Qazi Mohammad Afzal and Tariq Hamid Karra were sworn in as cabinet ministers. As leader of the PDP legislature party, Beigh will function as deputy chief minister.

Congressmen sworn in as cabinet ministers were Mangat Ram Sharma, who was deputy chief minister in the Mufti government, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, who is president of the state unit, Taj Mohiuddin, Nawang Rigzin Jora and Haji Nisar Ali.

Hakim Mohammad Yassin of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) was also sworn in as a cabinet minister as were two junior ministers belonging to the Congress, Gurcharan Singh Charak and Jitender Singh. The portfolios will be announced later.

Among those present at the swearing-in were Union home minister Shivraj Patil, his deputy Sriprakash Jaiswal and Congress general secretary Ambika Soni. Mufti, former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, several MLAs, high court judges and senior civil and police officers were also there.