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Ghulam Nabi Azad invited to form govt in J and K
by Bilal Butt

     Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt. General (Retired) SK Sinha has invited Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to form the new government in the state. Lt. General (retired) Sinha extended the invitation to Azad after scrutinizing the letters of support by coalition partners to the Congress-led new regime, a spokesman of the Governor's office said, adding that the Governor is fully satisfied about the support enjoyed by Azad in the state assembly. Azad will be sworn-in as the new chief minister of the state on November 2 at 5 p.m. at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Complex (SKICC). Azad had called on the Governor to stake his claim to form the new government in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, replacing Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as the chief minister, who completes a three year stint on the same day . Soon after being elected the CLP leader, Azad armed with the letters of support from the coalition partners -- the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Peoples Democratic Forum (PDF), the CPI(M) and others -- met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan.