Srinagar Mayor, Deputy Mayor will be from Congress: Mir

Srinagar, Nov 2: Congress on Friday said it would file nominations for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor positions in this summer capital of the state.
Addressing media persons at the party headquarters here, JK Pradesh Congress Committee President, G A Mir, said his party emerged as the single largest party in the recently held Urban Local Body (ULB) elections.
“In Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), we scored a good number of seats. We had appealed through media to all those who want to join hands with us to keep Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) away. We have received a good response,” he said.
After addressing a press conference, Mir said: “Ghulam Rasool Hajjam the congress candidate for the post of Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation has won by a margin of 2000 votes from a Batamaloo ward and party’s independent associate Sheikh Imran would be Congress backed candidate for the post of Deputy Mayor. The election for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor is scheduled to be held on November 6.”
“There is still time, if any anybody else wants to join us, he can. The doors are open for anyone with a secular ideology and who wants to work for the development of the city,” he said.
About the “tactics” used by the other parties, he said the people were “picked up and taken to five star hotels in Delhi”.
“The conscience of honest councillors cannot be purchased,” he added.
Expressing concern, he said the governor administration has committed a “big mistake” by taking the route of ordinance.
“Earlier, the elections for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor were held in an open house. That was also done by the governments. Some 20 years ago, we had secret ballot system. Then open ballot was introduced through amendments,” he said.
He said the governor administration making the provision of secret ballot voting was “totally unconstitutional and politically motivated”.
“We would challenge the ordinance. Even Rajya Sabha members are being elected through secret ballot, but the agents keep an eye on the voters,” he said.