Srinagar, Dec 24: High drama continued in Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) for the second day on Tuesday after 40 corporators moved a fresh no-confidence motion against Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu.
The no-confidence motion was moved barely a day after 47 corporators submitted similar motion to oust Deputy Mayor Sheikh Imran from the coveted post. Pre-empting his ouster, Imran, who is currently under detention, submitted his resignation to the Sectary SMC on Tuesday.
On Tuesday morning, 40 corporators belonging to National Conference, Congress, PDP and independents joined hands to remove Mattu. Later few rebel corporators formally submitted no-confidence motion in the office of secretary, SMC.
Commissioner SMC Khurshid Sanai said they have received signed letters from 40 corporators seeking ouster of Mayor. “These corporators belonged to different parties. Few of them are independents. We are scrutinizing their letters,” he said.
Sanai said Mayor will be asked to prove majority on the floor of House. “It may take us some more time to scrutinize the letters. Later Mayor will be asked to prove his majority on the floor of House,” Sanai added.
On the other side, Mattu alleged that “some corporators were pressurised by certain vested interests to vote against him”. “Almost 50 corporators have decided to support me in the interest of people of Srinagar,” he said.
Mattu also expressed willingness to prove his support on the floor of House. “My supporters have conveyed to SMC that signatures used in the letter have been forged”, he said.
One of the corporator, who supports Mattu, alleged that rebel corporators are being lured by the BJP to install their own man as Mayor of SMC. “Yesterday, nearly 50 corporators expressed full confidence in Junaid Sahab. These corporates now are being influenced by the BJP,” he said.
In the 70 member SMC, at least 36 votes are required to pass the no-confidence motion. For the last few weeks, anger has been brewing against Deputy Mayor with several corporators approaching BJP seeking his removal from the coveted post. Cashing in on the anger, BJP tried hard to convince corporators to move no confidence motion against both Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
