The civic body poll was a high-stake battle for the ruling BJP that was looking to match its own impressive showing in the Uttarakhand elections last year when it had won 57 out of 70 assembly seats.
"I do agree that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir should improve. But, the problem that we face is mostly because of Pakistan," said the Home Minister.
Four parties -- National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bahujan Samaj Party -- have announced that they will be boycotting the polls.
Mattu alleged that leaving the grassroots democratic institutions "open to misrepresentation" would inflict serious harm on the state, and wreak havoc with the social fabric and cultural legacy.
