Parramatta mayor Sameer Pandey ousted amid Labor party dispute

“Anything can happen over the next five and a half hours. If it comes off, it comes off. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t,” he said.

In his mayoral minute, Pandey thanked the councillors.

“I’ve been honoured to serve as lord mayor of City of Parramatta since my election as lord mayor,” he said. “I’m proud to have played a part in the ongoing transformation of our city.”

When asked before the vote if he felt betrayed, Pandey admitted he was disappointed.

“But I am grateful for the support of my colleagues and the community.”

Pandey played a key role in the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Parramatta and Harris Park earlier this year.

“To be mentioned by two prime ministers [Albanese and Modi] on the same day was a very humbling experience,” he said.

Pandey has been supported by Sanjay Deshwal, president of the Little India Harris Park Business Association, which has spent the week spruiking his achievements as mayor.

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“This is a dark day for democracy,” Deshwal said of Pandey, who is the city’s first Indian mayor and is extremely popular among the local Indian community.

“There’s a lot of hope and positivity for Sameer Pandey being the lord mayor here. Now, it’s not even three or four months in the job, and they want to remove him.”

One senior Parramatta Labor member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely express their views, said the move would “destroy Labor in Parramatta”.

“It would be considered a senseless act with no political outcome that is beneficial for the Labor Party.”