Held Kashmir chief minister, Modi ally Mufti Sayeed dies

SRINAGAR: The leader of held Jammu and Kashmir state and an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi died on Thursday.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, 79, died of a respiratory infection after spending the last two weeks in hospital in New Delhi, a spokesman for his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said.

"Mufti Sahab's demise leaves a huge void in the nation and in J&K, where his exemplary leadership had a major impact on people's lives," Modi said in a message on Twitter.

Sayeed, who was appointed to lead the state for a second time last year, formed an unlikely partnership with Modi's Hindu nationalist party to govern the state for the first time. At the time, he likened a coalition with Modi's party to a meeting of the North and South Pole.

Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to bring the contested region into the Indian mainstream, while Sayeed´s party supports self-rule.

Sayeed was a member of the state government during some of the worst years of the insurgency.

When he was home minister in 1989, his daughter was kidnapped by gunmen who threatened to kill her unless jailed militants were released.

The government later agreed to their demands.

Another daughter, Mehbooba Mufti, a member of parliament, is expected to take over the party leadership.

She is known to take a more pro-Kashmiri stance than her father and the BJP on the most contentious issues, but the coalition is expected to last.