Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 18: Election scenario in mountain locked desert region of Ladakh has become murkier with Alliance partners—National Conference and Congress facing virtual revolt from their cadre in Kargil district and even sitting Chief Executive Councilor (CEC) of Congress headed Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, Asgar Ali Karblaie extending support to party’s rebel candidate and former MLA Ghulam Raza, who is set to file his nomination papers tomorrow.
In another significant development, sitting MP from Ladakh, Ghulam Hassan Khan told the Excelsior today that he wouldn’t contest the Parliament election this time.
“I will not contest,’’ Khan, who had won 2009 election as an Independent candidate back by the Islamiya School Kargil (ISK), a traditional supporter of National Conference, said. Khan had defeated Congress candidate P Namgayal by 3500 votes.
Khan had contested and won LAHDC, Kargil election in September last year on NC mandate. He continued to be a Councilor in the LAHDC, which is headed by senior Congress leader Karblaie.
Official sources said ISK backed Aga Syed Kazim Sabri today filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate before Deputy Commissioner Leh, Simrandeep Singh, who happened to be the Returning Officer for Ladakh constituency, which would go to polls on May 7.
Two more Independent candidates Anayat Ali and Mohammad Amin today filed their nomination papers for Ladakh seat. With this, a total of five candidates have joined the electoral fray for Ladakh seat. While three candidates including Sabri filed their nomination papers today, Congress candidate Tsering Samphel and BJP nominee Thupstan Chhewang have already filed their papers.
Meanwhile, District Congress president for Kargil, Ghulam Raza, former MLA, who had resigned from the Congress yesterday, reached Leh today and will file his nomination papers tomorrow.
Mr Raza told the Excelsior on telephone from Leh that there was no “looking back’’ and he would join the electoral fray tomorrow, the last day of filing nomination papers for Ladakh Parliamentary seat.
“Since 1967, the Congress has never given mandate to a Kargalite for Ladakh Lok Sabha seat notwithstanding the fact that we strengthened the Congress, gave the party MLAs and even made a Congress leader as CEC of the Hill Council this time. As the Congress high command ignored us, I resigned as the district president and will contest the election as an Independent candidate,’’ Mr Raza, who had won Assembly by-election from Zanskar Assembly segment of Kargil in 2005, said.
Mr Raza said being part of the ‘Congress Parivar’, he spoke to senior leaders of the party. “Getting no response, I and my supporters decided to join the fray,’’ he added.
LAHDC Kargil CEC and veteran Congress leader Asgar Ali Karblaie has also revolted against the party decision not to field a candidate from Kargil and decided to extend support to Ghulam Raza.
Claiming that entire unit of the Congress in Kargil was united for fielding Raza, Karblaie told the Excelsior on telephone from Kargil that his stand was clear that he would support a Congress candidate from Kargil and “we stick to that’’.
Mr Karblaie, who had contested 2009 election as Independent candidate and polled 24,498 votes, said all Congress Executive Councilors and Councilors would back Ghulam Raza in the elections.
Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust (IKMT), a powerful religious body of Kargil, has already extended full support to Raza.
Meanwhile, ISK backed Independent candidate Sabri also told the Excelsior on telephone from Leh after filing his nomination papers that several religious bodies have extended support to him. A two times Councilor and Executive Councilor, Sabri said a number of National Conference leaders have extended support to him.
Several NC leaders accompanied Sabri when he filed his nomination papers.
It may be mentioned here that the ISK is known as a traditional support of the National Conference while IKMT is committed supporter of the Congress.
Sources said the Kargil unit of the Congress had made it clear to the party high command that they wanted party mandate for a leader of Kargil district. However, Leh unit of the party had also staked claim for the mandate. The Congress had announced the name of Tsering Samphel, District President of Congress for Leh, for Ladakh seat. Samphel has already filed his nomination papers.
BJP candidate and 2004 MP from Ladakh, Thupstan Chhewang has filed nomination as the BJP candidate.
Sources said the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate would file his nomination papers tomorrow.
Nominations for Ladakh seat would close tomorrow. Scrutiny of documents would take place on April 21 while candidates can withdraw their nominations till April 23. Polling will be held on May 7.
Meanwhile, Youth wing of ISK Kargil has written a letter to the Election Commission of India protesting the decision under which the candidates can file nomination papers only in Leh. They said earlier, the candidates were allowed to file nomination papers before the DC Kargil, who used to be appointed as Assistant Returning Officer for the constituency.
They regretted that the process has been shelved this time and candidates from Kargil had to travel 220 kilometers to Leh to file nominations.
Follow our WhatsApp channel