The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Former Srinagar Mayor and Apni Party leader Junaid Azim Mattu today claimed that the National Conference was keen to forge an alliance with BJP after Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014. He said before PDP, it was NC that wanted to align with the BJP in 2014.

Interestingly, Junaid Azim Mattu as per the news agency KNT was the spokesperson of the National Conference and close confidant of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

“Farooq Sahab, who was in London, wanted an alliance with BJP at any cost. Omar Abdullah also parleyed personally for an alliance - asked to be CM,” he added.

Mattu revealed that the BJP instead offered a DyCM post to NC - for which Sagar (Ali Muhammad Sagar) was ready. He said, “As then NC spokesperson, I personally remember the joyous and celebratory anticipation of Sagar at the whiff of AMS being DyCM in an NC-BJP alliance in J&K.”

“There was another DyCM aspirant from NC in Jammu but both CM and DyCM from Jammu wasn’t thought feasible,” he went on state.

Mattu disclosed that this as expected made the Abdullahs anxious. Like Late Mohiuddin Shah — AMS was seen by the family as a potential usurper.

He said Omar Abdullah personally met the BJP in Delhi, on his way to London and asked to be CM. “BJP again offered DyCM post and rotational CM to NC. Omar Abdullah - months later - expressed internally that he would have gone with the BJP if he had more numbers in the assembly. Farooq Sahab repeatedly regretted not beating PDP to a BJP alliance and said he would have — if he weren’t unwell in London.”

He claimed that this “B Team”, “C Team” nonsense that NC talking heads keep regurgitating is ironic.

“Poor kids don’t know how hard NC tried to align with the BJP and get the CM post in a possible NC-BJP alliance,” he said and added that he is ready to share details if the National Conference wants to contest his revelations.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Srinagar Mayor, Junaid Azim Mattu, on Wednesday said that the city will get rid of the stray dog population within 6 to 7 years as the corporation is set to kick-start a sterilization process at a large scale very shortly.

He also announced that the macadamization of Srinagar roads will be completed within a period of one month.

Addressing a presser here, Mattu, as per the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has been taken to new heights in the last couple of years.

“The corporators have been elected to serve people of Srinagar after a gap of 10 years. We will meet all the challenges and have met many challenges so far which has helped in taking Srinagar to 10th rank, which is a proud moment for all the residents here,” he said.

Mattu further said that in the last few years, he tried to take the SMC ahead of other civic bodies in the country. However, he said, the corporation couldn’t deal with some major issues including stray dog menace and the macadamization process.

“The dog bite cases deeply pains me. I have taken a decision to form a multi-agency consultative board to deal with the stray dog menace and initiate its final report within three months. It would be the biggest programme,” he said, adding that he has invited SKUAST scientists and veterinary experts to start the process within a month to ensure that the people in Srinagar could heave a sigh of relief from the menace.

He added that the consultative board will meet next week and two meetings will be conducted in one week and he will personally monitor the progress. “If this programme succeeds, within six to seven years, we will get rid of the stray dogs' population in Srinagar.”

He also termed the allegations of relocation of dogs from Srinagar to villages as baseless.

“The Corporation is facing macadamization challenge, the roads are in shambles and there is no doubt over it. We had started a process of macadamization in lanes and bylanes at large scale in March but the hot mix plants and contractors have decided not to bid for these tenders at the current rates. I have spoken to the Chief Secretary personally and macadamization rates are being revised in two to three days. We are keen to resolve this issue and start macadamization of lanes and bylanes within the period of a month,” he said.

About the enforcement, he said that there is no double standard in enforcement and no interference will be allowed. “We will try to ensure transparency and accountable governance,” he said.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse