Former Mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SNC), Junaid Azim Mattu on Wednesday resigned from J&K Apni Party, a day after being nominated as the party's candidate for the upcoming Assembly elections.
Mattu, a senior leader of the Apni Party, was named as the party candidate for the Zadibal Assembly seat in the Srinagar district.
He said on his X-post page that he took the decision after extensive consultation with his supporters.
"It is with a heavy heart, and with all humility at my command, that I announce my decision to part ways with the J&K Apni Party," he said.
Mattu also said that the Apni Party would be at complete liberty to field an appropriate candidate from Zadibal in his place.
He said that during his Hajj pilgrimage earlier this year, he had taken a solemn pledge to uphold his conviction and do politics guided by his own principles and a sense of discerning right from wrong.
"Primarily underscored by this solemn pledge and based also on extensive consultations with my workers and supporters over the last five days, I have reached this decision," said Mattu.
Wishing his best to Apni Party supremo Syed Altaf Bukhari, Mattu said Bukhari has been nothing but kind, protective and large-hearted.
"However, my own convictions are no longer congruent or symmetrical with the ideology of the party and in this situation -- to still remain associated with the party or to contest elections as a party candidate would be outrightly disingenuous," he added.
He further said that he would address the media in a couple of days to share his views, answer questions and outline his intentions and goals.
National Conference (NC) headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah has already announced 50 candidates for the Assembly elections in J&K while candidates for two seats, Budgam and Beerwah are yet to be announced by the party.
The NC has fielded former Chief Minister and party vice president, Omar Abdullah from the North Kashmir Ganderbal seat.
As per the seat-sharing arrangement between the NC and the Congress, NC will fight from 52 seats while the Congress will contest 31 seats.
The two parties have agreed to field separate candidates from Banihal, Doda, Bhaderwah, and Nagrota in the Jammu division and Sopore in the Kashmir division.
(With inputs from IANS)
