NC spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu resigns, to contest Jammu and Kashmir civic polls from Srinagar

The four-phase civic polls in the State are scheduled to be held on October 8, 10, 13 and 16 and counting would be held on October 20.
National Conference spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu (Photo | Twitter/Junaid Azim Mattu)
National Conference spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu (Photo | Twitter/Junaid Azim Mattu)

SRINAGAR: Unhappy over his party's decision to boycott the forthcoming Urban Local Body (ULB) and panchayat polls in the State, National Conference spokesman Junaid Mattu on Tuesday resigned from the party and announced that he would contest the civic polls from Srinagar.

Mattu took to social networking site Twitter to announce his decision to quit the National Conference."Based on my humble disagreement with the party's decision to boycott the upcoming ULB and Panchayat polls, I have just sent my resignation from the party to the NC General Secretary," Mattu tweeted.

In another tweet, he said, "I strongly believe that leaving our grassroots democratic institutions open to misrepresentation would inflict serious harm on the State and also wreak havoc with our social fabric and cultural legacy".

"I will announce my candidature for the ULB elections from Srinagar tomorrow and I remain committed to serving my people and helping the city I grew up in meet the challenges it's faced with," added Mattu.

The four-phase civic polls in the State are scheduled to be held on October 8, 10, 13 and 16 and counting would be held on October 20. The National Conference promptly accepted Mattu's resignation. The party also took to Twitter to announce that resignation of Mattu from basic membership of NC has been accepted.

Mattu had joined NC in November 2013 after ditching Peoples Conference led by Sajjad Gani Lone, who is now an ally of BJP in Kashmir. Sajjad's Peoples Conference is contesting the ULB and panchayat polls and it is speculated that Mattu may again join hands with him.

Since NC and PDP are staying away from the polls, Congress, BJP and Peoples Conference are only parties that are contesting polls in the Valley besides independent candidates.

According to political observers, with poll boycott by mainstream parties and separatists, there is a likelihood that BJP and Sajad Lone's PC may gain control of some of the UBLs in strife-torn Valley and Mattu may be aspiring to become Srinagar Mayor if he joins hands with Sajjad Lone and wins the polls for Srinagar Municipality.

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