Three-way contest in Ladakh as candidates seek to address local issues

Representational images. Pic/iStock

The Ladakh Lok Sabha seat will go to the polls on May 20 with an interesting battle between Congress, BJP and an independent candidate.

The largest Lok Sabha seat in the country in terms of area, Ladakh does not seem to be an easy ride for the BJP as there have been demands for sixth schedule status and also full statehood.

The constituency borders China and Pakistan and has a lot of geo-strategic significance. It also draws tourists from different parts of India and the world.

Ladakh was carved out as a union territory from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 following the government's decision to abrogate Article 370.

The BJP has replaced its sitting MP, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, with Tashi Gyalson, the Chief Executive Councillor and Chairman of the Hill Council (Leh). Congress has fielded Tsering Namgyal, who previously led the opposition in the Hill Council.

Both Gyalson and Namgyal are from Leh while independent candidate Haji Haneefa Jan hails from Kargil and has in the past been associated with National Conference.

The Ladakh constituency encompasses the cities of Leh and Kargil. Leh has a Buddhist majority, while Kargil has large presence of the Muslim community.

Kargil has more voters than Leh. Haneefa Jan is seen to have an edge amid perceptions that votes in Leh will get divided between two candidates from the region.

In the 2019 elections, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal won, with independent candidate Sajjad Hussain coming second. Independent candidate Asgar Ali Karbalai and Congress candidate Rigzin Spalbar followed in third and fourth place, respectively.

The election is taking place among demand both in Kargil and Leh for 6th Schedule status and separate statehood for Ladakh.

Under the alliance agreement as part of INDIA bloc between National Conference and Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, the Ladakh seat was given to the latter.

Residents of Ladkah had been seeking UT status which was fulfilled in 2019. The Congress in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls has said that it will amend the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to include the tribal areas of Ladakh.

The voting for the Ladakh Parliamentary Constituency is scheduled to take place during the fifth phase of the polls on May 20.

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