The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (Kargil) in the Union Territory of Ladakh is gearing up for elections on Wednesday.
The election marks a significant moment for the BJP, facing a united National Conference and Congress, following the separation of the region from Jammu and Kashmir and its designation as a UT.
Campaigning for all 26 constituencies of the LAHDC Kargil concluded at 4 pm on October 2, with the counting scheduled for October 8.
Ladakh encompasses the districts of Leh and Kargil, with Buddhists being the majority in Leh and Muslims in Kargil.
Initially, residents of Leh welcomed the UT status, but they later realised that the rights they enjoyed under Articles 370 and 35A, as part of Kashmir, were lost after becoming a UT.
This led to an agitation under the Leh Apex Body (LAB), advocating for the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh. They also collaborated with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, seeking statehood for Ladakh, to jointly press their demands with the Centre.
In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs engaged in discussions with leaders from Leh and Kargil after initial resistance. The Centre has indicated a willingness to consider Ladakh's demands positively, though it has not agreed to the Sixth Schedule or a similar status for the region.
Due to growing discontent over the Centre's refusal to meet the demands of Ladakh's people, the LAHDC Kargil election becomes a crucial test for the BJP.
The National Conference and the Congress have formed a pre-election alliance against the BJP, with the two parties fielding 17 and 22 candidates, respectively. This alliance focuses on areas where the contest against the BJP is expected to be competitive.
Before the end of the campaigning, a rally was addressed by leaders from the Congress, BJP, and NC in Kargil. Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader and Lok Sabha member, spoke at the rally during his visit to Ladakh. Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi led the rally for the BJP, while NC Vice-President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah campaigned for the party candidates.
This will be the fifth election for the LAHDC Kargil, featuring a triangular contest in most of the 26 seats. The Congress has the highest number of candidates at 22, followed by the NC and BJP with 17 each, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with four. Additionally, there are 25 independent contestants.
The new council will take office before October 11, replacing the existing Council led by NC’s Feroz Ahmad Khan, which completed its five-year term on October 1. A total of 95,388 voters, including 46,762 women, are eligible to vote from 8 am to 4 pm on Wednesday, determining the electoral fate of 85 candidates vying for 26 seats of the 30-member Hill Council. Four Councillors with voting rights will be nominated by the administration after the elections.
The BJP, which won one seat in the last election and later increased its tally to three with the inclusion of two PDP councillors, has fielded 17 candidates. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used for the first time in the Council elections. Additional Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) companies have been deployed to ensure peaceful polling.
An official order issued by Election Authority and Deputy Commissioner Shrikant Balasaheb Suse prohibits public meetings and processions during the 48 hours ending with the conclusion of the poll. Exit polls in the district are also banned until the conclusion of the poll, with warnings of legal action for any violations.
The LAHDC-Kargil elections were rescheduled from September 10 to October 4 following the Supreme Court's intervention, which noted the UT administration's denial of the "plough" symbol to NC candidates. The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the NC, dismissing the Ladakh administration's plea on the issue and imposing a fine of Rs 1 lakh on it.
During his nine-day trip to Ladakh in August, Gandhi addressed a public meeting in Kargil, but the party's campaigning was primarily led by local leaders from Ladakh. Abdullah spent three days in Kargil, conducting rallies for the party candidates. Lekhi campaigned for the BJP candidates, emphasising the need for the all-round development of the district, and BJP Lok Sabha MP from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, actively canvassed for the party candidates, highlighting the region's development under the Central government's focus.