Jagmet Sangyas
Recent developments in the politics of Ladakh are desirable to be explored and analysed. The second half of 2018 has unfolded series of interesting political events. Kargil Hill Council election, municipal elections, shuffling of portfolios in Hill Council Leh, resignation of MP Ladakh, University Demand and resolutions passed by Hill Councils demanding Divisional Status for Ladakh are some major political happenings needing attention. The climax of the entire sequence of political changes was the resignation by MP Ladakh alleging BJP led centre of failing to deliver on the promises made by the party during 2014 parliamentary election and BJP Jammu of interfering in internal affairs of BJP Ladakh as well as Hill Councils.
Though the BJP didn’t accept the resignation of Thupstan Chhewang, his decision of resigning from both MP and BJP primary membership clearly reflects stark differences developed between him and the BJP and the rift that seems to have grown within BJP Leh. His allegations on BJP state high command regarding interventions in the politics of Leh and in the unceremonious deposing of the former CEC LAHDC Leh, Dorjey Motup, have raised questions on the competence of the BJP Leh in further strengthening its foothold in the region. The hindsight of the resignation of Thupstan Chhewang and conspicuous absence of explicit endorsement of his stand by any member of BJP Leh is that he literally got himself isolated from the main domain of the politics of Ladakh. Because the stand he claimed to have taken for the bigger cause of UT for Ladakh was explicitly or implicitly disowned by BJP-the party he has started and built in Ladakh, as well as LBA- the very religious organization which he led during high times of Ladakh politics in the later part of 80s. However, he has been able to gain the sympathy of opposition as well as general public at large, if nothing substantial. Moreover, it probably will enhance his revered public stature as one of the most followed leaders of Ladakh and put a respectful end to his active political career.
The meteoric rise of Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, a young politician, within the BJP party Leh before the episode of resignation of the MP Ladakh is important to be recalled here. First, he became the district president of BJP Leh with high appreciation and expectation. Then he became the youngest ever CEC LAHDC Leh following the resignation of the former CEC, Motup Dorjey, citing the health grounds. But allegations that appeared in the resignation letter of the MP reflect a different story. This confusion resulted in the emergence of a general political perception among the people of Ladakh that the new CEC is getting political favour from the party high command and is more interested in advancing his personal ambitions at the cost of unanimity within the BJP party in Ladakh. This may be disapproved as baseless by the CEC but it seems to have penetrated general public domain quite effectively. Over and above that the alleged mishandling of students’ issue and the case of suspension of the Principal of a Higher Secondary School in Nubra by CEC became cause of resentment among students and government servants in the education department respectively. Despite all these negative impressions in public, the young CEC has been trying his best to prove his credentials. Some of the resolutions passed by the LAHDC Leh in the recent past demanding Divisional Status and Central University for Ladakh as well as Women College and Medical College for Leh have been claimed as major political strides taken by the current Council under his chairmanship. Among these, the demand for Divisional Status for Ladakh has got the limelight because of the positive response from the Governor. The reports of Governor Administration contemplating accordance of Divisional Status for Ladakh have been doing the rounds of late. The vicissitudes in political atmosphere of Ladakh within short span of time has driven things towards uncertainty where it is hard to predict the future course of Ladakh politics.
Amidst all these, an interesting and encouraging development in the politics of regionalism mainly between two district of Leh and Kargil cannot go unrecognised. Ever since 1979 Ladakh politics was never free from challenges of regional politics and conflicting interests. Kargil leaders of political and religious organizations always have uneasiness with UT demand which has been strongly advocated by the leaders of political and religious organizations from Leh. There may be a separate debate over the logic behind supporting and not supporting UT demand but avoided here. Then the recent exchange of allegations pertaining to Zojila Tunnel between religious organizations from both the districts reflects the persisting lack of confidence and mutual understanding between the two. However the on-going demand for Divisional Status and Central University for Ladakh vehemently raised by both the Councils is likely to augment a sense of bonhomie between two districts and create a way forward for concerted endeavour necessary for certain genuine demands of the entire region of Ladakh. So there are signs of developing understanding between the two districts upon those demands which require indispensible collective assertion of the region as one but tensions and conflicts regarding priorities, interests, political stands and claims must not be overlooked. To find a common ground and a concentrated political assertion of Ladakh region as one vis-a-vis Jammu and Kashmir confidence building measures between the two districts at Council level are needed to be taken.
In the backdrop of above changing political dynamics of Ladakh, it will be interesting to observe the upcoming assembly and parliamentary elections which are supposed to be held in 2019.
(The author is Assistant Professor (Political Science) Higher Education Department, J&K )
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