INDIA VOTES 2024: In Ladakh, it’s Kargil vs Leh as Muslim, Buddhist bodies back their candidates

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, May 8

Religious and social organisations in Leh are trying hard to reach a consensus in favour of only one of the two Buddhist candidates of the BJP and Congress in the district, as they believe that the sole Muslim candidate from Kargil will dominate the poll on May 20. Over the time, the situation has turned into Buddhist-dominated Leh versus Muslim-majority Kargil in the lone Lok Sabha seat of Ladakh.

While there are two candidates, including BJP’s Tashi Gyalson and Congress’ Tsering Namgyal contesting from Leh, there is only one Independent candidate, Haji Hanifa Jan, contesting from Kargil, amid polarisation of the vote bank, which is also giving nightmares to the BJP and Congress as their votes are likely to split in Leh.

Sensing the urgency, the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), a prominent religious body, has started making efforts to build a consensus to urge locals to vote for one of the two candidates from Leh.

Leaving Hanifa Jan, the two other Independent candidates who had filed nomination from Kargil, including Kacho Mohammed Feroz and Sajjad Kargili, have withdrawn their nomination, giving a clear way to Jan.

“I have convened the meeting of both Congress and BJP candidates to urge them that one of them should back out of campaigning. However, as both Congress and BJP are national parties, their candidates cannot take a decision on their own. Votes in Leh will split in favour of two candidates and will benefit the lone Kargil candidate,” said LBA chief Chhering Dorje Lakrook.

He added that being a non-political organisation, he could only urge the candidates to think about Leh. Former MP Thupstan Chhewang has also urged the locals in Leh to vote en masse in favour of only one candidate. However, no decision on the name of the candidate has been reached so far.

Meanwhile, Hanifa Jan is also leaving no stone unturned to consolidate the vote bank in Kargil. He is meeting religious and social leaders and urging them to support him. He recently held a meeting with the chairman of the guardian council of the Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust (IKMT), Sheikh Mohammad Mohaqqiq, and called for unity in Kargil.

Interestingly, Hanifa Jan is an NC leader and had recently resigned along with entire Kargil unit of the party. NC leaders of Kargil have gone against their party order of supporting Congress (INDIA bloc) candidate Tsering Namgyal.

The BJP has also targeted the NC and claimed that the resignation of party leaders in Kargil was a jolt to the INDIA bloc. Senior BJP leader and former J&K Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta said: “The mass resignation of NC leaders in Kargil underscores the inherent weaknesses within the alliance. This development serves as a testament to the transient nature of alliances formed solely for opportunistic gains.”

Votes will be spilt in Leh

We are meeting Congress as well as BJP candidates to urge them that one of them step down from Leh. However, as both Congress and BJP are national parties, their candidates cannot take a decision on their own. Votes in Leh will be split between BJP’s Tashi Gyalson and Congress’ Tsering Namgyal and will benefit the lone Kargil candidate, Haji Hanifa Jan. — Chhering Dorje Lakrook, LBA chief