NEW DELHI: Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will be the new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He will be the first Congress leader to occupy the top post in the State after three decades.

The Congress on Thursday decided to take its turn, heading the Government as per the 2002 coalition arrangement with the People's Democratic Party following the Assembly elections. Mr. Azad is due to take charge on November 2.

All-India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of J&K Ambika Soni made the announcement here, ending five days of hectic parleys and uncertainty. Earlier, Congress president Sonia Gandhi conveyed the decision to Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti. Both Mr. Sayeed and his daughter assured Ms. Gandhi of their cooperation to Mr. Azad. Ms. Soni and Mr. Azad also spoke to them. It was Mr. Sayeed who suggested that Mr. Azad take charge on November 2, the day the Congress is scheduled to take over from the PDP.

Before taking the decision, Ms. Gandhi spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after consultations with her political secretary Ahmed Patel, Ms. Soni and Mr. Azad. Dr. Singh and Ms. Gandhi were emphatic that the change of guard should in no way affect relief and rehabilitation in the earthquake-affected areas, Ms. Soni said.

Details of who would be the Deputy Chief Minister, if any, and portfolio allocation would be worked out in the coming days. The Congress would like to continue with the existing pattern as far as the post of Deputy Chief Minister was concerned, Ms. Soni said. Now it is with the Congress. On swapping of portfolios, she said no decision had been taken. No date had been fixed either for a Congress Legislature Party meeting to elect its new leader.

The announcement on Mr. Azad taking over as Chief Minister came a couple of hours after 21 legislators — some of whom on Wednesday threatened to resign if the Congress opted to continue with status quo — said they would abide by Ms. Gandhi's decision. In a letter to her, they denied having tendered their resignation while conceding that a couple of "emotionally surcharged" colleagues might have expressed before the media a desire to quit. The letter was submitted to Ms. Soni after backroom parleys following the "resignation threat."

Staking their claim within hours of the clarification, the Congress leaders underlined that the decision was taken not under duress but only after the legislators reiterated their faith in Ms. Gandhi's leadership. Opinion in the party's Central leadership was divided on the Congress taking its turn.

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