Junaid Mattu returns as Srinagar Municipal Corporation mayor
Mattu got 62% of the total votes in the open ballot elections which were held at SMC’s corporate hall. He defeated former deputy mayor Sheikh Imran while the third contestant, Aijaz Rasool of Congress, withdrew from the contest during voting
Junaid Azim Mattu on Wednesday became the mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) for the second time after winning the mayoral elections of SMC.
Mattu, 35, who was formerly associated with National Conference and Peoples Conference, got 62% of the total votes in the open ballot elections which were held at SMC’s corporate hall.
“Junaid Azim Mattu has been elected as the mayor. He got votes of 44 councillors out of 70,” said SMC secretary Akbar Lone.
Mattu tweeted about his win, calling it an emphatic verdict. “What a humbling, emphatic verdict! We have touched the 2/3rd majority mark! Thank You to my fellow Hon’ble Corporators and the people of Srinagar for your trust and faith again. Together we will all serve Srinagar and take it to new heights!” he said.
The total strength of SMC council is 74 out of which four seats are vacant. Mattu defeated former deputy mayor Sheikh Imran while the third contestant, Aijaz Rasool of Congress, withdrew from the contest during voting.
“Imran got seven votes while 19 councillors abstained from voting. Aijaz Rasool withdrew during the session,” Lone said.The Congress had asked Rasool to withdraw and issued a whip to its councillors, 16 in number, to vote in favour of Imran.
Mattu was removevd as the SMC mayor in June after he lost a no-confidence motion moved against him by some corporators.
He had then claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Conference had joined hands in Srinagar to remove him. Interestingly, he had won the 2018 elections with the BJP’s support.
Mattu, who returned from the US barely a decade ago to join politics, had resigned from the NC only to participate in the polls in 2018. He later became part of the Sajjad Lone-led Peoples Conference till September this year when he parted ways with the party.
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