Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is Jammu and Kashmir's first non-National Conference chief minister in more than 27 years. He took over in October 2002, at a time when the state was facing heightened terrorism and acute financial crisis.
Mufti was born in 1936 in south Kashmir. A lawyer by profession, he held ministerships at both the state and the Union level before becoming the chief minister. He was first elected to the state Assembly in 1962, became a deputy minister in 1967 and a state cabinet minister in 1972.
In 1975 he became the leader of the Congress Legislature Party and Pradesh Congress Committee. Though he lost elections in 1977 and 1983, he retained the latter position for 12 years. In 1986, he joined Rajya Sabha and became a minister in the Rajiv Gandhi Cabinet.
After Congress's pact with National Conference in 1987, he resigned from both the Cabinet and the Rajya Sabha, and joined the Janata Dal. He won the 1989 Lok Sabha polls, and became the Home Minster in the VP Singh Cabinet.
Days after his swearing-in, his daughter was kidnapped by JKLF militants. He agreed to release jailed terrorists in return for her release, and was criticised all across for his decision. He is believed to have been instrumental in the implementation of President's Rule in J&K in 1990 and the appointment of Jagmohan as Governor.
{{/usCountry}}Days after his swearing-in, his daughter was kidnapped by JKLF militants. He agreed to release jailed terrorists in return for her release, and was criticised all across for his decision. He is believed to have been instrumental in the implementation of President's Rule in J&K in 1990 and the appointment of Jagmohan as Governor.
{{/usCountry}}After remaining in relative ignominy for a while, he launched the J&K Peoples Democratic Party in 1999 and, along with his daughter Mehbooba, created almost instant acceptability for it. Since becoming the chief minister, he has launched a controversial 'healing touch' policy, which aims at dealing with terrorism with compassion and understanding, and is overseeing a gradual improvement in J&K's economy and a dramatic revival of tourism.