J&K governor Satya Pal Malik being received by former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, at Srinagar airport on W... Read More

NEW DELHI: A day after he was appointed as governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik said his top priority will be to carry out the Modi government's mandate to "win the hearts of people of J&K", a task where his credentials as career politician may come in handy.

"Prime Minister Modi has been talking of winning over the people of J&K and gaining their trust. The government has chosen me because as a career politician, I may be better suited to discharge this mandate. I personally know or have worked with many political leaders of the state," he told TOI over telephone from Patna, where he has been governor.

Malik said he knows former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti well and has worked with Congress leader and also former CM, Ghulam Nabi Azad. He said he is familiar with J&K issues and has read extensively about the state.

The prominent Jat leader from U P, who has worked across the political divide as a member of Congress, Janata Dal and Samajwadi Party before joining BJP, was governor of Bihar for less than a year when the Centre decided to entrust him the responsibility of J&K.

Malik, who will be taking oath as J&K governor at 11 am on Thursday, said his other priority would be to ensure a balance between the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. "My effort will be to remove any imbalances and ensure equal attention to all-round development of the three regions," he said.

Asked how he will approach his first big assignment — the conduct of much-overdue civic polls in the state — Malik said it is too early to talk about it as he was yet to take over. "While I did speak to (outgoing governor) N N Vohra, I will be taking a meeting with all officers concerned once I am sworn in to decide on my immediate priorities and the way ahead," he said.

Whether he would continue with the advisers who have been working with Vohra since governor's rule was imposed, Malik said he would consult the PM and all competent people to finalise his team. "I am looking forward to working with officers of integrity and commitment," he said.

Former J&K chief secretary B B Vyas, retired IAS officer Khurshid Ganai and ex-CRPF chief K Vijay Kumar had been assisting Vohra as his advisers. The changeover comes less than a week ahead of conclusion of Amarnath Yatra. J&K governor is ex-officio chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board. Vohra's second term as J&K governor had ended on June 25, days after the state was placed under governor's rule, but given that the yatra was to begin barely three days later, the government decided to let him continue for a couple of months more.

