Preemptive strike by Mayor to stall BJP move
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Dec 23: In a preemptive move to prevent Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) from dislodging him, Mayor of Srinagar city, Junaid Mattu, struck a deal with Congress and got a no-confidence motion moved against Deputy Mayor, Sheikh Imran, to remove him.
At least 47 Corporators passed the no-confidence motion against Imran who is jailed for over four months now. The no-confidence motion against Imran was moved ahead of BJP’s proposed no-confidence motion against Junaid Mattu.
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An application seeking removal of the Deputy Mayor was signed by 47 of the total 70 Corporators and given to SMC Commissioner Khurshid Sanai. A new Deputy Mayor from Congress is being elected in the next three to four days.
Corporator Tanvir Hussain moved no confidence motion against Sheikh by presenting letters from 15 Corporators of People’s Conference, 17 Congress, 11 National Conference and 4 Independents.
Imran is under detention at MLA Hostel Sub-Jail presently along with 30 other political leaders. He was detained after the Centre scrapped provisions of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated the State into two Union Territories.
He became the Deputy Mayor of the SMC with Congress support after the Urban Local Body polls in November last year. Later, he joined Sajad Lone-led Peoples Conference of which Mattu is also a member.
Tanvir Hussian Pathan, Corporator from Ward 56- Zadibal said that a grand alliance was formed by Congress, Peoples Conference and few Independents to prevent BJP from removing Mattu. “There is nothing of this sort happening. Out of 70, the Grand Alliance consists of 52 Corporators”, he said.
Another Corporator Farooq Ahmad Khan said that as BJP was planning no-confidence against Mayor so “we have given a befitting reply to them today”.
Basharat Bin Qadir, Corporator, from Congress said: “We will not allow the divisive forces to have a free run in J&K.”
It may be mentioned here that BJP for last one month was planning to move vote of no confidence against Mayor and had got letter of support from 36 Corporators. BJP general secretary Ashok Kaul and Sunil Kumar Sharma for last few months held series of meetings with Corporators to garner their support to remove Mattu.
There are 70 Corporators in SMC with BJP having 11 as 7 Independents joined the party recently. Congress is leading the tally with 17 Corporators, PC has 15, NC 11 and there are 16 Independents. Four wards are vacant.
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