MAJOR SETBACK FOR NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN LADAKH AS ITS KARGIL UNIT RESIGNS OVER CHOICE OF LS CANDIDATE

NEW DELHI: In a significant setback for the National Conference, the entire Kargil unit in the Union Territory of Ladakh has announced mass resignations following disagreements over the choice of candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The decision was conveyed to party president Farooq Abdullah in a letter by Additional General Secretary of Ladakh, Qamar Ali Akhoon.

Speaking to reporters, Akhoon revealed that the unit's resignation stemmed from pressure exerted by the party's high command to support the official Congress candidate from Ladakh. However, this move contradicts the decision made by the Kargil Democratic Alliance, which has nominated Haji Haneefa Jan as its candidate.

Under the seat-sharing agreement between the NC and Congress, the Ladakh seat was allocated to Congress, a decision that sparked dissent within the NC ranks.

Furthermore, two independent candidates, Sajjad Hussain and Kacho Mohd Feroz, withdrew their nominations in support of Jan, paving the way for a triangular contest in the constituency where the BJP has fielded Tashi Gyalon, chief executive councillor-cum-chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Civil Development Council (Leh).

Haneefa Jan, backed by powerful religious institutions, emerges as a formidable contender in the electoral arena. The KDA, in tandem with the Leh Apex Body, has been at the forefront of a four-year-long agitation advocating for Ladakh's statehood, inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil, and employment opportunities for local youths.

Akhoon emphasized that their resignation from the NC was a sacrifice made in the greater interest of Ladakh, particularly the Kargil region, reaffirming their unwavering support for Jan's candidacy. He underscored Jan's status as the unanimous choice of all political, social, and religious factions in Kargil.

"Jan is the united choice of KDA and we thank both the independents who withdrew in his support. The party high command was putting pressure on us to support Congress party's official candidate. They were telephoning me and I told them 'never'. We made the sacrifice in the larger interest of Ladakh, especially Kargil," he said.

Acknowledging the withdrawal of two independent candidates, the Returning Officer of the Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency, Santosh Sukhadeve, confirmed a three-way contest for the seat in the upcoming fifth phase of elections scheduled for May 20th.

The Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency, renowned as the largest in the country in terms of geographical expanse, spanning over 173.266 square kilometers with a voter base exceeding 1.82 lakh, remains poised for a closely watched electoral battle.