Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 11: A no confidence motion has been moved against Mayor of Srinagar city Junaid Azim Mattu today by at least 40 Corporators allegedly at the behest of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP).
The Mayor said that the no-confidence motion against him was moved by some Corporators of the SMC at the behest of the BJP. He asserted that he enjoyed majority in the Municipal Corporation and would take on the challenge democratically and legally.
“Been informed that BJP has sought a ”Vote of No Confidence” in the SMC against me. Those who have submitted the motion are either elected members/office bearers of BJP or unambiguously associated with BJP. This is the second such motion by BJP against me within 6 months,” Mattu said.
In a series of tweets, the Mayor said the BJP-led group in the civic body has also claimed they have support from the Congress and the National Conference, but both these two parties have clearly denied that.
Mattu said there are also apprehensions of forged signatures on affidavits as well as attempts to break the law that bars anyone from seeking a floor test within six months of the previous one. “This is a repeat of what was attempted in SMC on 26th December, 2019,” Mattu said.
The BJP’s Kashmir media in-charge, Manzoor Bhat said that party’s Corporators are supporting the no-confidence motion against the Mayor. “We have 27 Corporators in Srinagar Municipal Corporation. Of them, four were elected on the party’s ticket and 23 joined us after winning the election as Independent candidates,” he said.
The National Conference, on its official Twitter handle, said the party has no understanding with the BJP. “JKNC has no understanding, or inclination to have an understanding with BJP. Neither in SMC Srinagar nor elsewhere,” the party said in a tweet.
The Mayor said it was a travesty that something like that was being done in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. “That this is being done in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic is another travesty. That it is being claimed and alleged that INC and BJP are on the same page is bizarre beyond comprehension and hints at some clear illegality and foul play,” he said.
A senior official at the SMC said that they would look into whether no-confidence motion is admissible at this stage or not. The group led by former Deputy Mayor Sheikh Imran claimed that no-confidence vote did not take place on December 26 but Mattu’s supporters say that they cannot bring the motion till completion of six month period.
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