Gopal Sharma
Starting his career as a `high profile’ tour operator in Ladakh, and then serving as Councilor and later playing an impressive role as Leader of Opposition in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, Tsering Namgyal (T. Namgyal), is now contesting as Congress/ INDIA Bloc candidate from Ladakh Parliamentary Constituency against the BJP in this mountainous Union Territory.
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Chairman of the Ladakh Chapter of Indian Tour Operators Association (ITOA), Namgyal is also District Congress Committee (DCC) president for Leh. He is not expecting a tough contest with the BJP candidate from the Ladakh seat as according to him there is strong resentment among the people against BJP for weakening the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and snatching financial powers of the Hill Development Councilors.
“Everybody knows that entire Ladakh has waged a strong agitation against the ruling BJP in support of their four point agenda. The people of Ladakh want full fledged state with powerful Legislature having full financial powers, implementation of Schedule 6th of the Constitution on the analogue to North Eastern States, two Lok Sabha seats for entire Ladakh and separate Public Service Commission for Ladakh,” the Congress candidate said.
“The BJP provided UT status which was an old demand of the people of Ladakh but after this, all the powers were given to the Lt Governor and the bureaucrats and both the Ladakh Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil were rendered weak. The financial, land allotment and several other powers were snatched from the Councils. These ‘so called’ Autonomous bodies were turned weak and without teeth,” DCC chief asserted.
Namgyal pointed out that majority of the youth from Ladakh love to join Army and moreover, there are very less job opportunities and farming activity for them in the region. The BJP introduced Agniveer Scheme, providing hardly four years chance for them to serve the Army. This contractual type job in the Army has shattered the hopes of thousands of youth in Ladakh region. The youth of Ladakh is very annoyed with the policies of the ruling BJP, he added.
When asked what will be his priorities, if he is elected by the people to Lok Sabha, Namgyal said he is standing like a rock with the people of Ladakh during this agitation. He will continue his fight for the four point agenda of the people of Ladakh including Statehood with own Legislature and implementation of 6th Schedule. He will improve education, healthcare, power, road infrastructure and rural development sectors as well.
“People of Ladakh are far behind in healthcare, better education and rural infrastructure. There is urgent need to develop Industry, Horticulture, Agriculture, Handicrafts and make Ladakhis self sufficient. For attracting more and more tourists to this region, there is also need to device innovative ideas for developing tourist attraction centres of Ladakh,” Namgyal added.
Expressing that prospects of Congress Party are bright in Ladakh during these elections, Namgyal said Ladakhis feel that BJP could not come up to their expectations. Many public issues have remained unresolved, moreover, unemployment has also increased during past few years. The condition of internal roads has deteriorated. They have tried to create division among the society in Ladakh which never remained such an issue. Healthcare, education, drinking water, rural development sectors have been ignored. They gave Union Territory status but snatched powers from the LAHDC members and left this body as nearly defunct, the DCC Leh regretted.
On being asked about damage being caused to him as Kargil unit of Congress is supporting local NC backed Independent candidate- Mohd Hanifa Jan, Namgyal said he is the INDIA Block candidate approved by the All India Congress Committee and Alliance partners, but definitely Jan may cause some damage to his prospects. Moreover, in district Kargil, over 7000 votes are more as compared to Leh district.
The Congress candidate disclosed that there are total 1.82 lakhs electorates in Ladakh out of which, 91,703 are males and 90,867 female voters. LAHDC, Leh has 26 constituencies/seats, plus 4 nominated and similar is the case with LAHDC, Kargil. Whereas, four Legislative seats have been abolished after creation of UT. The election in the Ladakh Parliamentary Constituency will be held on May 20 during the 5th phase of the Lok Sabha elections
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