NC, Cong to hold talks on seat sharing
BJP projects Anayat Ali, woos Independents
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 23: As the Election Authority in the Union Territory of Ladakh is set to announce elections to Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil in second week of August, most likely on August 8 or 9, the National Conference and Congress after stitching pre-poll alliance have geared up for seat sharing exercise while the BJP is set to go it alone by projecting Haji Anayat Ali, former Chairman of Legislative Council in erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State and is hoping to rope-in certain influential Independent candidates.
Officials told the Excelsior that the Election Authority of UT Ladakh is likely to announce election schedule for the LAHDC Kargil around August 10. Election for 26-seat Council is likely to be held on single day around September 10 while counting could take place around September 14.
Entire process for the elections is likely to be completed well before September 20.
The National Conference and Congress which have already announced both pre-poll and post-poll alliance for the LAHDC Kargil elections will shortly hold discussions on seat sharing formula. Senior leaders of the two parties will first take call on how many seats the two parties would contest. Later, a decision will be taken on which seats will go to the NC and Congress.
In 2018 election, National Conference had won 10 seats and Congress 8. PDP had garnered two seats and BJP one while there were five Independents. Initially NC and Congress shared power in the Council but later NC formed its own city Government with Independents.
As NC had won 10 seats last time and Congress eight, there are chances that NC might get slightly more seats to contest as compared to Congress. However, leaders of both the parties are confident that seat adjustments will be worked out amicably.
The BJP, on the other, has decided to project Haji Anayat Ali, former Chairman of J&K Legislative Council and once a prominent PDP leader, as its candidate for the post of Chairman. Anayat had joined the BJP long back.
Some Independents could also side with the BJP, the insiders said.
Though the BJP had won only one seat in 2018, its strength had later gone up to seven as both PDP Councilors had joined the BJP while four nominated Councilors were also the party leaders.
This will be sixth election to the LAHDC Kargil.
While LAHDC Leh came into existence in 1995, LAHDC Kargil was constituted in 2003. Both the Councils have five-year term.
LAHDC Leh is being ruled by the BJP for second consecutive term.
Both the Councils are headed by Chairman-cum-CEC who has the rank of Cabinet Minister of a State while there are four Executive Councilors in the rank of Deputy Ministers.
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