SRINAGAR: It is the contest between BJP candidate Tashi Gyalson and Congress nominee who is a joint candidate of I.N.D.I Alliance Tsering Namgyal.
Triangular contest for the Ladakh parliamentary seat will be an interesting electoral fray as the independent candidate from Kargil Muhammad Hanifa Jan is proving to be a dark horse.
Basically, it was the contest between BJP candidate Tashi Gyalson and Congress nominee, who is a joint candidate of INDI alliance Tsering Namgyal.
“The way people of Kargil are consolidating behind the independent candidate, it seems he may spring a surprise,” said Sajad Ali, who is the local journalist in Kargil.
While the BJP has changed the candidate and has fielded the chairman of Ladakh Hill Development Council as a face with promise to hold talks on sixth schedule and other talks, it seems that people of Ladakh are feeling betrayed by the central government.
Leh Apex Body (LAB), which is the umbrella of social and religious organizations in Leh, is keeping the focus on the sixth schedule and for statehood to the UT of Ladakh.
Local groups in Kargil district along with religious organizations are educating villagers about the importance of the demands put forth by them before the BJP government.
Baker Ali, who is the local in Kargil having a lot of influence on the villagers, said, “BJP has betrayed the people of Ladakh and we need guarantees for our identity, resources and statehood.”
Sensing trouble, BJP sent Union Minister Kiren Rijiju to Ladakh to assure the people that the central government will accept their demands after elections.
Talking to reporters in Leh, Rijiju said, “I have come here to convey to the people that the BJP government will fulfil the big demands after the government formation”.
INDI alliance candidate is also feeling the trouble as Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has given full support to independent candidate Hanifa Jan and managed two other independent candidates to withdraw from this election so that there is no division of votes.
“Kargil is speaking in one voice and we will unitedly vote in support of Hanifa Jan” said Inam Ali, who was the NC worker, as their entire unit in Kargil district has resigned from the party on May 06 and said that they will not support the Congress candidate.
The Ladakh parliamentary segment is going to vote on May 20 and the triangular contest has certainly diminished the hopes of INDI alliance candidates to have a clear edge.
It is in place to mention that both in Leh and Kargil people are demanding sixth schedule, statehood, two parliamentary seats for Leh and Kargil and a separate Public Service Commission for the jobs.
The INDI alliance candidate has already said that they will accept all the demands of Ladakh trying to get the votes on this plank.
But the key is Kargil district. This parliamentary seat has 1.84 lac voters and Kargil has 95,926 while Leh district has 88,887. Both Congress and BJP candidates are from Leh and the Kargil has the single candidate, who has backing from all political and religious organizations.
The arithmetic votes are to be watched on May 20 when the people will vote in the UT of Ladakh.