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Polls for Kargil hill devp council on October 4
Of 26 council seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil (LAHDC-K), Congress is contesting on 22 seats, while the National Conference and the BJP have put their candidates on 17 seats each
: The National Conference and Congress combine are eyeing a maximum number of seats in the Muslim majority region of Ladakh Union Territory in the hill development council polls on Wednesday.
Of 26 council seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil (LAHDC-K), Congress is contesting on 22 seats, while the National Conference and the BJP have put their candidates on 17 seats each, and Aam Adami Party (AAP) is contesting on four seats.
Though the National Conference and Congress have forged an alliance on many seats, the candidates of the two parties are also locked in a friendly contest and there is every likelihood that both the parties will jointly run the council post-elections if they get a majority.
On the other hand, BJP leaders, including sitting parliament members from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal and other leaders are camping in Kargil town with the hope to gain a maximum number of seats. In the last Hill Council polls, BJP managed to bag a single seat from the Zanskar region. Later, two PDP council members joined the national party post abrogation of Article 370 and Ladakh got separate UT status. This time, PDP hasn’t put any candidate in the fray.
“The BJP is trying hard and many senior leaders have been campaigning in Kargil and other areas but I think NC-Congress combine has a big edge over BJP because NC and Congress have a strong grassroots base in Kargil,” said Zia Islam, a political analyst from Kargil.
Tanvir Sadiq, NC chief spokesman and a close aide of Omar Abdullah, who visited Kargil and Drass along with the former CM last week, said the people of Kargil are determined to counter communal forces.
“The response received by the National Conference has been overwhelming. We anticipate even better results, especially with our alliance with the Congress. On other seats, we are expecting a good outcome not only in Kargil, but also in Zanskar. “ Sadiq said.
Former minister and senior Congress leader, Asghar Karbalai, said the party has an alliance with the NC. “Our main aim is to keep BJP out from Kargil and results will prove it as our campaign has been very impressive and successful,” he said.
BJP leaders are also optimistic about the results. “We gave separate UT status to Ladakh and many developmental projects have been taken up so people of Kargil will definitely vote for our candidates and will emerge victorious,” said Haji Anayat, BJP Kargil in-charge.
He said that since the last council polls, many things have changed here. “I was earlier with the PDP, now I have joined BJP and have managed to re-organise the party. We also have the support of some strong independent candidates.”
The elections, earlier, were scheduled for September 10. However, as per the new notification, polls for the Hill Development Council Kargil will be held on October 4 and the counting of votes will take place on Sunday.
