Battle lines drawn, Junaid, Imran set to lock-horns
Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar, July 5: Battle lines have been drawn for the crucial post of Mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) as Commissioner of the Corporation Gazanfar Ali is set to propose dates for election and filing of nomination papers before the deputy mayor within a day or two.
According to KINS, as per the SMC (Elections for Mayor), a new mayor has to be elected within 30 days of the ouster/resignation of the previous one. On June 15, Junaid Matoo, the former Mayor of SMC couldn’t prove his major and had to step down from the post.
Congress corporators followed the party whip and abstained from the voting but two NC Corporators in violation of the party whip voted against Junaid, who, however, announced that he accepts the verdict.
However, since June 15, hectic lobbyism is going on among corporators of all the political parties.
What created ripples in the political circles recently was the call recording of the female corporator from Dalgate, who claimed that one of the political parties was backing Imran and would ensure he gets the Mayor’s post. She was, however, reprimanded by the party high command for her comments. Later Imran too denied any links with any political party.
Sheikh Imran had also clarified that he was not behind the ouster of Junaid Matoo from post of Mayor.He had also said that new elected Mayor will provide justice and will maintain dignity of Corporators,
“The SMC was turning a hub of corruption, and failed to provide justice to people; cooperators have no other option but to ask for a no confidence motion against the mayor. This is in the constitution that we can have ‘no confidence motion after every six months, it’s a routine process. It has happened earlier, even in the time, When Salman Sagar was Mayor of SMC. We should welcome the voices against corruption,” he had said.
Sources claimed that the majority of the corporators are in favour of Imran for the hot seat. On the other hand, Peoples Conference leader and the former Mayor, Junaid, too is set to fight the battle again. So, sources said it will be a direct contest between Junaid and Imran, who would lock horns for the prime post of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation.
SMC Commissioner Gazanfar Ali said that as per the SMC act, a new Mayor has to be elected within a month of the previous one’s ouster or resignation. “As per the set rules, I have to propose election dates to the deputy mayor, which I will be doing in a day or two. It’s up to the deputy mayor to choose the date. I believe elections for the Mayor’s post would be held anytime between July 12 to 15,” Ali said.
