Cong gains ground in Leh after losing 4 elections
*BJP needs to revisit strategy to regain lost base: Observers
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 7: Ahead of next year’s crucial elections to Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), the BJP has suffered major reverses in nearly 20 out of 26 constituencies of the Council in Leh district during just concluded Parliamentary election for lone seat in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
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The BJP has been ruling the Leh Hill Council for second consecutive term with majority and had also won Ladakh Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and 2019.
However, faced with an agitation in Ladakh over demand of Statehood, Sixth Schedule, two Parliamentary seats, dedicated PSC and jobs, BJP candidate and sitting Chairman-cum-CEC of Leh Hill Council Tashi Gyalson finished third behind the winner Mohamaad Haneefa Jan (Independent) and Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal (Leader of Opposition in Leh Council).
Though the Election Commission data only revealed the votes polled by the candidates district-wise (Leh and Kargil) as Ladakh has no Assembly, the trends of votes booth wise revealed that the Congress fared well in at least 20 constituencies out of a total of 26 in Leh Hill Council while the BJP was ahead in the remaining.
The BJP had won 15, Congress 9 and Independents two seats in the Council in the elections held in October 2020 which was the first-ever election in Ladakh after the Himalayan region became the Union Territory in August 2019. Prior to that, the BJP had won two-third majority in the Council in August 2015 election.
The Council elections are due in October 2025.
Congress which has been out of power from Council since 2015 has gained the lost ground in Leh if Lok Sabha elections are any trend, the political observers pointed out. Congress is, however, in power with National Conference in Kargil Hill Development Council. As per power sharing formula in Kargil, the NC is having its Chairman-cum-CEC for first two and half years while the Congress will get the post for remaining term of the Council. Both parties have two Executive Councillors each.
Congress has tasted defeat in four consecutive elections including two Lok Sabha (2014 and 2019) and two Leh Hill Council (2015 and 2020).
In Kargil district, Independent candidate Mohammad Haneefa Jan, whose candidature was backed by National Conference and Congress units of the Kargil, led in 24 out of 26 segments of Kargil Autonomous Hill Development Council. However, BJP managed to get lead in two Buddhist dominated constituencies of the Council in Zanskar region of Kargil district.
In October 2023 elections to Kargil Hill Development Council, NC had won 12 seats followed by Congress 10, BJP and Independents two each. The NC and Congress had contested elections in alliance with each other.
Political observers were of the view that the BJP will have to make serious efforts to get majority in the Leh Hill Development Council for third consecutive term as nearly a year and three months have been left for the elections. They were of the view that over three years long agitation by Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in favour of four-point agenda which was later joined by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has played crucial role in the BJP’s down fall leading to the party losing Ladakh seat after winning it for two consecutive terms in 2014 and 2019.
Yet another reason was the unity displayed by National Conference and other social and religious organizations by fielding consensus candidate from Muslim majority Kargil district due to which there was no split of votes as witnessed in 2014 and 2019 when there were two contestants each from the district. On the other, there were two candidates from Leh district which led to split of Buddhist votes.
What shocked the BJP more that it finished third behind Independent Mohammad Haneefa Jan, who won the seat and Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal who finished second. BJP nominee and Leh Hill Council Chairman-cum-CEC Tashi Gyalson came third. In Leh district, Namgyal, who is Leader of Opposition in the Hill Council, polled more votes than Gyalson.
The political observers were of the view that the BJP Central leadership after formation of NDA Government at the Centre will have to take call on four-point agenda of LAB and KDA to bring the BJP back as major player in the Union Territory of Ladakh especially in Leh district where it had become a major force especially after winning lone Parliamentary seat of Ladakh for the first time in 2014 followed by 2019. The BJP, they said, needs to revisit its stand on four-point agenda of LAB and KDA to regain the lost ground in Leh.
Four point-agenda of LAB and KDA include Statehood, Sixth Schedule status, two Parliamentary seats and dedicated PSC for Ladakh.
The LAB and KDA held series of meetings with the Union Home Ministry during Modi 2.0 Government but the talks were deadlocked well before the Parliamentary polls after which the LAB intensified agitation by sitting on dharna, holding demonstrations etc.
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