Srinagar: Amid a high voltage drama and allegations of selective voting, Junaid Mattu on Wednesday won Mayor elections. Mattu bagged 44 votes defeating his rival Sheikh Imran, who got 7 votes.
Earlier during the election process, the incumbent Deputy Mayor of National Conference Parvez Qadri along with some Councillors staged protest alleging ‘rigging and selective voting’
Qadri allayed that Mayor has already been selected while election is mere gimmick.
To pacify the protest, policemen swung into action and dragged the protesting Deputy Mayor out from the election hall along with his supporters, according to Kashmir News Trust, a local news agancy.
“I was thrashed by police and forcibly taken out from the Hall. The Municipal Act was violated and notification for the election was issued in violation of rules. Being the Deputy Mayor and acting Mayor, I was supposed to be taken into loop. It was not an election but a ‘selection’ process,” Qadri told reporters.
Out of 51, Junaid Mattu secured 44 votes while his rival Sheikh Imran reportedly got 7 votes. National Conference boycotted these elections while BJP supported Junaid.
Congress party that has 17 Councillors had issued a whip directing its Councillors to cast vote in favour of Sheikh Imran, but ironically, caring a fig for the party leadership, 10 Councillors from Congress supported Junaid Matuu while 6 Councillors boycotted and one Councillor cast his vote for Sheikh Imran.
Notably, in June this year, Junaid Mattu lost a no-confidence motion that was moved against him by several corporators of Srinagar Municipal Corporation. The vote of ‘No Confidence Motion’ against him had been passed in the SMC with 42 votes out of 70.
Meanwhile, Tanvir Pathan, Corporator from Zadibal and Matoo’s supporter, congratulated the new Mayor saying it is the victory of people of Srinagar.
