SRINAGAR: In a significant political development that could seriously jeopardise the BJP’s prospects of retaining the sole parliamentary seat in Ladakh Union Territory, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body (LAB) – coalitions comprising various political parties, traders, religious, and civil society groups from Kargil and Leh districts, spearheading the agitation for the 6th Schedule and statehood for the cold desert – are actively considering fielding a joint candidate in the upcoming polls.
The Ladakh LS seat is scheduled for polls in the third phase on May 7. During the 2019 LS polls, when Ladakh was part of the erstwhile J&K state and enjoyed Article 370 status, BJP’s Jamyang Tsering Namgyal secured victory in the Ladakh seat by defeating independent candidate Sajjad Kargili by over 10,000 votes.
In the 2014 polls, BJP’s Thupstan Chhewang clinched the seat by defeating independent candidate Ghulam Raza by a margin of 36 votes.
Following the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the J&K state into two UTs by the central government on August 5, 2019, people and parties in the Muslim-dominated Kargil and Buddhist-dominated Leh districts of Ladakh have been advocating for 6th Schedule status and statehood for the cold desert.
The agitation is spearheaded by KDA and LAB, which encompass all political parties, social, trade, and religious groups from the two districts, except BJP.
It is a rare occurrence for people and parties from two districts to unite, and now both KDA and LAB are strategising against BJP, accusing them of deceiving the people by promising 6th Schedule status during the 2019 polls and subsequently reneging on it.
Senior LAB leader Chering Dorjay informed this newspaper that there is a possibility of LAB and KDA fielding a joint candidate for the Ladakh LS seat.
Previously, leaders from both KDA and LAB had maintained that the two coalitions were not intended for electoral alliances. However, there has been a shift in stance following the recent failed talks with the central government.
Sources in LAB And KDA said leaders of the two amalgams would be meeting to discuss fielding joint candidate for the Ladakh LS seat. “The talks in this regard may now be held after Eid-ul-Fitr,” they said.
Rare for people to join hands
It is a rare occasion that people and parties of two districts have joined hands and now both KDA and LAB are devising strategy against BJP, which they feel “have deceived people by contesting 2019 polls on granting 6th Schedule to Ladakh and now backing out.” Senior LAB leader Chering Dorjay told this newspaper that there is a possibility of LAB and KDA fielding joint candidate for the Ladakh LS seat. In politics, he said, nothing can be ruled out.