BJP, Cong seek more districts in Ladakh

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 30

Amid speculations over the appointment of a delimitation commission, the Ladakh units of the BJP and Congress are on the same page regarding “discrimination” against the region while demanding an increase in the number of districts and Assembly seats there.

While the BJP has demanded creation of five new districts in Ladakh to end the ‘decades-long discrimination’, the Congress has suggested creation of two more Assembly segments in Leh district.

“Even after 70 years of Independence, Ladakh is yet to see real development. It constitutes nearly 70 per cent geographical area of J&K but has only two districts. As the state is under President’s rule, the Union Government should create more districts to end this discrimination,” Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Member of Parliament (MP), Ladakh, said.

He suggested creation of five new districts: Zanskar, Nubra, Shaam, Changthang and Drass in the Ladakh division.

Similarly, former minister and three-time Congress MLA from Leh Nawang Rigzin Jora on Tuesday wrote a letter to Governor Satya Pal Malik, requesting him to create two new Assembly constituencies in Leh district “in order to do full justice with people”. “There have been strong speculations about the enhancement of Assembly constituencies in certain regions of the state. Leh district, which is spread over an area of 45,110 sq km which is about 45 per cent of total area of the state, has only two constituencies, Leh and Nubra. While Nubra constituency is compact, Leh constituency is too vast and needs to be broken into three,” Jora said.

Region yet to see real development

Even after 70 years of Independence, Ladakh is yet to see real development. As the state is under President's rule, the Union Government should create more districts to end this discrimination. — Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, MP, Ladakh