The People Of Ladakh Have Spoken

“People were angry, which is why you see these results,” Sajjad Kargili, a political activist based in Kargil, said. The National Conference-Congress alliance swept the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council elections in Kargil, defeating the BJP.

The elections were held for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh into two Union Territories. “We were anticipating this result from the beginning as people were upset,” a member of the Ladakh Buddhist Association told The Citizen.

The counting of votes in the 30-seat hill council took place on October 8. The alliance has won 22 seats. The National Conference won 12 and its ally, the Congress won 10. Meanwhile, the BJP managed to win two seats and two Independents won one seat each. Four seats in the council have nominated members.

“After the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, this was the first election in Kargil, Ladakh. This election was totally different from previous elections, because after bifurcation and abrogation of Article 370, people of Kargil were unhappy, ” Sajjad Kargili said. He added that the people were also unhappy with the “false promises of development” that were never fulfilled.

“They also promised development in Ladakh, but we are seeing that for the past four years there is no development at all. You cannot see a single medical college in the entire Ladakh territory. There is no state or Central university here, there are no job policies, there is no public service commission. In the entire district of Kargil, there is no MRI in hospitals. If this is not development, then what do you call development,” Kargili said.

As many as 85 candidates were in the contest for the 26 seats. The Opposition say the elections are a referendum on the Centre's decision to scrap Article 370.

During the polling, most voters talked about identity issues following the abrogation and the absence of a democratic representation under the Union Territory administration. Many voters said that they wanted a “reunion with Jammu and Kashmir” and that “the Union Territory experiment failed to deliver”.

Kargili added that, other than development, the threat to democracy was visible to the people, “One cannot replace development with democracy. There is development even in China. Our country world over is known for its democracy but you have snatched that from the people. In Ladakh it is a UT without assembly. This also shows that the fight of this government is against democracy.”

The NC and Congress fought together as allies in seats where the BJP had a significant presence. Both parties improved on their previous tally in 2018, when the NC won 10 seats and Congress 8.

“This result sends a message to all forces and parties that have, undemocratically and unconstitutionally, divided the state of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh without the consent of its people,” NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said.

With the NC emerging as the single largest party in the council, he said, “This is a resounding verdict against the BJP and its divisive policies. It’s also an emphatic rejection of what the Union Government did to J&K on 5th August 2019.”

Omar Abdullah also termed the results as a “wake-up call” for the BJP. “It is time to cease hiding behind the Raj Bhawan and unelected representatives and, instead, acknowledge the people’s rightful desire for a democratically elected government in Jammu and Kashmir. Democracy demands the voices of the people be heard and respected,” he added.

Meanwhile, crediting Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra for the Congress’s success, Congress general secretary K. C/ Venugopal said, “We have registered a resounding victory in the Ladakh-Kargil Autonomous Hill Council elections after 10 years! Along with our INDIA partner National Conference, we have swept the entire region in its first election after the abrogation of Art. 370.”

Kargili, meanwhile, averred that the people of Kargil have “simply shown their anger this election and rejected the politics of Delhi”.

The BJP fielded 17 candidates this time for the polls that took place on October 4. Its lone winning candidate in the last election, Stanzin Lapka, retained his seat from Cha constituency. In Chiktan area, where the BJP holds some influence, its candidate Padma Dorjey won from Stakchay Khangral constituency.

While NC’s Abdul Wahid took the Bhimbat constituency in Drass from partners Congress, its sitting member Punchok Tashi retained his seat at Padum.

At Ranbirpora in Drass, the Congress’s Abdul Samad defeated NC’s Mubarak Shah by over 500 votes while in Choskore, the Congress retained its seat, with its candidate Nasir Hussain Munshi emerging the winner.

Meanwhile, at Chiktan, Congress candidate Liyaqat Ali Khan defeated BJP’s Mohsin Ali, who had switched allegiance from PDP midway through his term last time.

Independent candidate Ghulam Mohammad won the Barsoo seat defeating the Congress and BJP candidates. The NC’s Manzoor ul Hussain, a first-time candidate, defeated two-time former Chief Executive Councillor Kacho Ahmad Ali Khan at Yourbaltak.