Amidst mounting concerns over potential rebellion against the party’s central leadership, the Ladakh unit of the National Conference (NC) appears to have devised a unique strategy by forging an alliance with the Congress party in the region.
Under this arrangement, a senior NC leader from Kargil district is poised to contest the Lok Sabha elections on the Congress ticket, with the primary objective of thwarting the BJP candidate’s chances.
According to the agreed-upon seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties, the NC will contest the Anantnag-Rajouri, Central Kashmir (Srinagar), and North Kashmir (Baramulla) parliamentary seats, while the Congress has been allocated three seats, including Jammu-Reasi, Kathua-Udhampur-Doda, and Ladakh.
A senior NC official, who chose to remain anonymous, revealed to The Gaon Tribune that discussions are underway with the Congress party regarding the selection of a joint candidate for the sole Lok Sabha seat in Ladakh. In this arrangement, the NC is committed to providing full support to its coalition partner, the Congress. However, internal dissatisfaction persists within the NC ranks regarding the high command’s decision.
Efforts are being made to persuade the Congress leadership to endorse the candidacy of an NC representative from the Kargil district, thereby upholding the principles of coalition politics and maximizing the chances of defeating the BJP candidate. The rationale behind this proposal is to prevent the division of votes in the Shia Muslim-majority Kargil district, which could occur if the Congress fields a candidate from Leh.
The NC’s Ladakh unit has been pressuring the Congress to nominate a joint candidate from Kargil for the Lok Sabha seat to ensure the avoidance of vote-splitting in the region. Despite multiple rounds of discussions between NC and Congress leaders, a consensus has yet to be reached. While the Congress is considering nominating its senior leader and former minister, Nawang Rigzin Jora, NC leaders in Kargil fear that fielding a Buddhist candidate from Leh could prove detrimental to their electoral prospects.
Sources indicate that the NC leadership is grappling with internal dissent over the unilateral decision to cede the lone Lok Sabha seat to the Congress. Local leaders and workers in Kargil and Leh districts feel sidelined by the top leadership’s hasty decision, which they believe will have severe repercussions at the grassroots level.
A senior NC figure emphasized that the party’s dominance in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil, coupled with its pro-people initiatives, has bolstered its standing in the district. However, the alliance with the Congress threatens to weaken the NC’s grassroots support, while simultaneously bolstering the Congress’s influence in the region.
The NC leader lamented that had the party been allocated the Ladakh seat, victory would have been assured, given the prevailing political dynamics. Any adverse decision by the Congress regarding their request could prove detrimental, necessitating a decisive stance to prevent further BJP advances in Kargil.
On Friday, the Election Commission of India issued a notification for the polling on the Ladakh seat, setting the deadline for nomination papers on May 3 and withdrawal of nominations on May 6. The polling is scheduled for May 20.
