BJP unfazed over defeat in Kargil Council elections [Here's Why]

Even as the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) is trying to project victory of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections as a big setback to the BJP after the abrogation of Article 370 at the national level, the Saffron Party is unfazed over this results of the polls.

The BJP leadership appeared to be "satisfied" with the outcome of the polls because the party was expecting the same election results.

While replying on the performance of the BJP in the LAHDC Kargil Polls, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, who is also the party's incharge of J&K and Ladakh said that the vote share of the BJP has increased manifold as compared to the last LAHDC Kargil polls.

Chugh said that the BJP has successfully managed to make inroads in the new areas of Kargil where the party's presence was almost negligible.

BJP was never a force in Kargil

Kargil was never a stronghold of the Saffron Party so BJP is not worried about results. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections BJP got nearly 10,000 votes from the Kargil district and the party has maintained the same number of votes in the Kargil Council elections so the party leadership is trying to downplay the defeat of the party.

In the 2018 LAHDC Kargil elections the BJP had opened its account for the first time by winning a seat. This time party has won two seats and lost four by narrow margins.

The biggest achievement for BJP in the LAHDC Kargil elections is that the party has successfully projected prominent Shia leader Haji Anayat Ali as the party's face in Kargil. BJP has not increased its seats to double but has also secured more votes than in the last elections.

The vote share of the party has increased to eleven thousand from about 2200 in the last elections. BJP has expanded its electoral imprint in Kargil where the party had no presence till 2018. Apart from winning two seats, BJP lost very narrowly in three other constituencies – Padum by 54 votes, Shargole by 65 votes, and Karsha by 79 votes.

For the 26-member LAHDC Kargil elections the NC-Congress alliance secured secured 22 seats, leaving the BJP with only two seats. The National Conference won 12 seats, while the Congress secured 10 seats.

NC described election results as a verdict against the August 5, 2019 decision

The National Conference has described the results as a clear message from the people "to all forces and parties that have undemocratically and unconstitutionally divided the State of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh without the consent of its people".

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said the BJP has been dealt a resounding defeat in the Kargil Council elections and that it should serve as a wake-up call for the saffron party.

Abdullah said that the poll outcome in Kargil has sent out a message against the division of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, without consulting the people of the region.