No-confidence motion moved against Srinagar mayor
SRINAGAR: Days after BJP leaders hinted that they were weighing options for removing the mayor and deputy mayor of Srinagar municipal corporation, a group of independent legislators, supported by the BJP, have moved a ‘no-confidence motion’ against city mayor Junaid Azim Mattu.
Last week, BJP leaders had said that they were weighing options to remove mayor, Junaid Azim Mattu and his deputy Sheikh Imran from their posts as the party was planning to bring a no-confidence motion against of them. Congress and the Peoples’ Conference, which are the largest parties in the MC, had dismissed the claim as a ‘day dream’.
The no-confidence motion against Mattu was moved by an independent corporator from
Ikrajpora, Ghulam Nabi Bhat. It was seconded by three city corporators. “We have moved a no-confidence motion against the city mayor as we have seen a lot of corruption in the last 15 months and no development work has been taken up,’’ Dar said, adding that they were hopeful that the mayor will be removed in a couple of days after a floor test. “We have the support of 41 corporators, including the BJP,’’ said Dar a former NC worker who is believed to be close to former minister Altaf Bukhari.
The corporators handed a letter of no-confidence to the SMC secretary for initiating the procboth ess.of the 70 corporators of SMC, the BJP had four people in the 2018 polls. However, reportedly, party leaders have claimed the support of at least 40 corporators. The National Conference and PDP did not participate in the polls, though later many corporators said they had joined the parties. The Congress had bagged 17 seats. BJP’S district president and corporator from Nawakadal Arif Raja confirmed that some independent corporators had moved a no-confidence motion against the mayor.
Mattu, 35, had resigned from the NC to participate in the polls. A former financial analyst,
Mattu, who returned from US nearly a decade ago to join politics, is also one of the senior leaders of the Peoples Conference.
Mattu had recently said that the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference was ready to prove majority whenever required.
The term of the mayor and deputy mayor is 30 months and both office bearers have to seek a fresh mandate from the corporators and they have more than 18 months to seek fresh mandate.
Many corporators said deputy mayor, Sheikh Imran, who is currently under detention at MLA hostel had already submitted his resignation.