A prominent face of the National Conference, its State spokesman Junaid Mattu, on Tuesday announced resignation from the party to contest urban local body polls. The NC has decided to stay away from the polls in protest against linking them with a bunch of litigations in the Supreme Court on Article 35A that guarantees special privileges to the residents of J&K.
The NC was the first regional party to announce boycott of the polls. The PDP and CPM followed suit citing the ground situation and also issues related to Article 35A as the reasons for their boycott.
“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 JKNC General Secretary,” Mattu wrote on Twitter.
“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,” he wrote.
“I will announce my candidature for the ULB elections from Srinagar tomorrow Insha Allah and I will remain committed to serving my people and helping the city I grew up in meeting the challenges it’s faced with. I won’t be addressing the media or taking any questions today,” he said.
The NC in a tweet said that the Mattu’s resignation from the basic membership of the party was accepted.