Junaid Azim Mattu

2021-06-01T00:10:04Z

2405:201:5503:232F:5DF9:AFDC:E7D:2661:

{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
{{infobox office holder
| name = Junaid Mattu
|image = Junaidmattu1.jpg
|office = [[Mayor of Srinagar]]
|term_start2 = 2018
|term_end2 = 2020
|term_start1 =November 2020
|term_end1 = Incumbent
|party = [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party|Apni Party]] (2020 - Present)
|otherparty = [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference|People's Conference]] (2010 - 2014), (2019 - 2020) <br> [[Jammu and Kashmir National Conference|National Conference]] (2014 - 2019) <br> [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] (2020-present)
| occupation = Politician
}}

'''Junaid Azim Mattu''' is an Indian politician from [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. He is a member of the [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]], and is currently the [[Mayor of Srinagar]]. He was re-elected on 25 November 2020 with a 2/3rd majority.

== Life ==
Junaid Azim Mattu was born in Srinagar in a politically active family. His grandfather [[Ghulam Ahmad Ashai]] was a founding member of [[Sheikh Abdullah]]'s [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|Muslim Conference]] party, later renamed to National Conference.<ref name=bio/>

Mattu studied at the [[Burn Hall School]] in Srinagar and the [[Bishop Cotton School (Shimla)|Bishop Cotton School]] in [[Shimla]]. He graduated in Business and Finance from the [[Michigan State University]] and worked as a financial analyst in the United States for some time. He returned to Jammu and Kashmir in 2009 to be part of "change and empowerment".<ref name=bio/><ref name=Hindu>[https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/in-srinagar-madhav-pushes-for-third-front/article25457498.ece In Srinagar, Ram Madhav pushes for the third front], The Hindu, 9 November 2018.</ref>

== Political career ==
Mattu joined [[Sajjad Lone]]'s [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference|People's Conference]] party in 2009 and served as the Srinagar district president for the party. In 2013, he switched to the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|National Conference]] party and served as its spokesman.<ref name=bio>[https://thekashmirwalla.com/2018/11/junaid-azim-mattu-financial-analyst-srinagar-mayor/ Junaid Mattu’s journey from Financial Analyst to Srinagar Mayor], The Kashmir Walla, 6 November 2018</ref> He switched back to the People's Conference before contesting the Srinagar municipal corporation elections in 2018. An alliance of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] and the People's Conference apparently won 40 seats many of the winners contesting as "independents".<ref name=Hindu/><ref name=gains>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bjp-makes-gains-in-valley-as-congress-sweeps-leh-in-jammu-and-kashmir-local-polls/story-LVUMnfVgGnFm9OGKjWMayL.html BJP makes gains in Valley as Congress sweeps Leh in Jammu and Kashmir local polls], Hindustan Times, 21 October 2018.</ref>

Mattu was elected as the [[Mayor of Srinagar]] on 6 November 2018 with 40 votes from corporators, beating his closest rival of the [[Indian National Congress]] with 26 votes.<ref>[https://thekashmirwalla.com/2018/11/junaid-azim-is-mayor-of-srinagar/ Junaid Azim Mattu is Mayor of Srinagar], The Kashmir Walla, 6 November 2018.</ref>

Mattu aims to develop the BJP-People's Conference alliance as a 'third front' in the [[Kashmir Valley]] in competition with the National Conference and the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party|People's Democratic Party]].<ref name=Hindu/>

In June 2020, he was removed from the position after losing a [[no-confidence motion]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Junaid Azim Mattu loses no-confidence motion, removed as Srinagar mayor |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/junaid-azim-mattu-loses-no-confidence-motion-removed-as-srinagar-mayor/article31842590.ece |date=16 June 2020 |publisher=The Hindu |work=Press Trust of India |accessdate=16 July 2020 }}</ref>

In November 2020, he was once again elected as [[Mayor of Srinagar]] after six months after he was ousted from the office through a no-confidence motion. He joined [[Altaf Bukhari]] led [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]]. <ref>{{cite news |title=Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu joins Apni Party
|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/j-k/srinagar-mayor-junaid-azim-mattu-joins-apni-party-176713|publisher=The Tribune India |accessdate=28 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Junaid Azim Mattu Returns As Srinagar Mayor, 6 Months After He Was Removed|url=https://www.ndtv.com/srinagar-news/junaid-azim-mattu-returns-as-srinagar-mayor-6-months-after-he-was-removed-2330078|publisher=NDTV |accessdate=28 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Newly elected Srinagar's mayor Junaid Azim Mattu joins J-K Apni Party |url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/newly-elected-srinagars-mayor-junaid-183009440.html|publisher=Yahoo News|accessdate=28 November 2020 }}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mattu, Junaid Azim}}
[[Category:People from Srinagar]]
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference politicians]]
[[Category:Jammu & Kashmir National Conference politicians]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Mayors of places in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir municipal councillors]]
[[Category:Politicians from Srinagar]]
[[Category:Apni Party politicians]]

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Junaid Azim Mattu