High stakes Kargil elections mark crucial test after Article 370 abrogation; 73 pc turnout recorded

Samaan Lateef

Kargil, October 4

In the rugged expanse of Kargil, the crucial election for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil (LAHDC-K) took place on Wednesday, with a turnout of 73 per cent, indicating the desire for democratic representation.

It is the first election after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories – Ladakh and Jammu Kashmir – on August 5, 2019.

These polls are seen as a barometer of public sentiment regarding the BJP-led Centre’s decision to grant Union Territory (UT) status to Ladakh, which includes Leh and Kargil districts. Currently, Ladakh is a Union Territory without its own legislative assembly, and the LAHDC-K was established in 2003.

From early Wednesday morning, the polling booths across the Kargil region saw long queues of voters, showing a clear desire for democratic representation and the restoration of statehood.

Voters expressed frustration over the lack of development since becoming a Union Territory.

The voters were mostly concerned about preserving the unique identity of the region, the lack of employment avenues for youths and the reservation policy.

Kargil, which witnessed significant protests against the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, is concerned about the Ladakh UT’s future and a majority of the voters say they were better off with Jammu and Kashmir State rather than a separate UT.

“We should either have separate statehood with the legislature or we should be allowed to join back Kashmir,” says a voter Najaf Ali, a voter in Kaksar village of Kargil, around 15 km from the main town.

Ali said Ladakhi identity is most dear to every citizen in the region and after abrogation of Article 370, they fear for it. “I voted in these elections to the party which is promising to keep my identity intact,” Ali said.

With a population of 1.08 lakh and around 65,878 eligible voters in Ladakh, this election transcends development concerns and delves into matters of identity and political representation. In the absence of elected legislators and ministers, the region’s residents are grappling with uncertainties regarding governance structures, medical facilities, and essential services.

The voters were not impressed with the BJP’s development narrative saying that the BJP has not done anything in the past four years to uplift people. “We don’t see any people-oriented development taking place in Kargil. There is no medical college, the district hospital continues to be in shambles, and the education sector has not seen any investment,” says a political activist Sajad Kargili.

He said the road development in the region is taking place due to strategic reasons and the BJP shouldn’t take credit for such development. “They should let us know whether they have built any hospital or medical college in Kargil,” he added.

Many voters in different constituencies were keen to vote as this time, a large number of educated, young candidates are contesting the polls. “I hope these young candidates, some even contesting against those who have been in politics for long, will bring a new dawn of development to the region. We have to separate clergy from the politics and we must insist on that,” said the university scholar, who had travelled from New Delhi, to cast his vote. “This vote is important as it will determine not only the future of Ladakh Hill Development Council politics but how the politics will shape up in the region in coming years.”

The BJP is striving to capitalise on post-2019 development initiatives to secure victory in the Kargil council elections. While facing criticism in Buddhist-majority seats like Karsha and Padum for unfulfilled promises, the BJP is optimistic about increasing its seat tally from the single seat won in the 2018 hill council polls. Anayat Ali, a BJP leader, emphasised their focus on development work and support for independent candidates.

On the other hand, the National Conference (NC) and Congress alliance are determined to regain regional prominence through these elections. The NC aims to reassert itself as the largest party while also reclaiming its ‘Plough’ symbol. This election also marks a significant test for the India Alliance as the Congress and NC jointly contest.

Influential organisations like the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) have expressed discontent over the Centre’s failure to provide constitutional protection under the Sixth Schedule, potentially affecting the BJP’s vote share.

Two seminaries, the Anjuman Jamiatul Ulama Islamia School-Kargil and the Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust, play a significant role. Both are members of the KDA, an amalgam of 11 political parties and religious groups, advocating for statehood and constitutional protection for land and jobs.

The Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust, is backing Congress candidates, citing their discontent with the Centre’s decisions made on August 5, 2019.

The growing differences between the BJP and the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) over the Centre’s failure to grant protection to Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution may impact the BJP’s vote share this time.

The BJP, which had promised district status to Zanskar but failed to deliver, is also facing resentment in Buddhist majority seats like Karsha and Padum. Nevertheless, the BJP remains hopeful of increasing its seat tally from the 2018 hill council polls.

For the NC, these polls are an opportunity to re-establish themselves as a regional party in Ladakh after it successfully restored the party symbol ‘Plough’.

A total of 85 candidates are vying for 26 seats on the Hill Council in Kargil, with the main competition between the BJP and the National Conference-Congress alliance. The opposition views the elections as a referendum on the scrapping of Article 370 and the division of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, while the BJP campaigns on its development agenda and appeals to Shia Muslim voters in Kargil.

Issues like access to mobile phone networks, unemployment, and a shortage of drinking water in places like Hunderman, the last village along the Line of Control (LOC) that divides Gilgit-Baltistan from Ladakh, are central to voters’ concerns. Many voters express discontent with the current Union Territory status, citing unfulfilled promises.

In recent years, the Ladakh region has mobilized against Union Territory status, demanding statehood and constitutional guarantees under the Sixth Schedule. A rare political alliance between Buddhist and Muslim groups in Leh and Kargil districts poses a significant challenge to the BJP’s electoral prospects.

The outcome of the elections on October 8 will have far-reaching implications, going beyond the formation of the Hill Council. It holds particular significance for both the BJP and the NC-Congress alliance in the run-up to the next parliament elections in Ladakh.