Lok Sabha election results could impact sixth schedule status, statehood stir in Ladakh [Here's Why]

Simmering discontent between agitating groups of Leh and Kargil came to the fore after the declaration of results of the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat where Independent candidate Mohammad Haneefa Jan emerged victorious defeating Congress and BJP candidates.

The statement of Sajad Kargili, one of the prominent leaders of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), triggered a controversy as Kargili's utterance did not go well among leaders of the Leh Apex Body (LAH).

Overjoyed over the victory of their candidate for the Ladakh seat, Sajad Kargili characterized the victory of independent candidate Haji Hanfee Jan as a referendum against the Union Government's decision to revoke Article 370 and granting the Union Territory status to Ladakh.

He emphasized that this rejection echoes the sentiment expressed in the Kargil Council elections prior, cautioning that failure to secure the sixth schedule and statehood for Ladakh could lead to calls for reintegration with Jammu and Kashmir.

"Earlier people of Ladakh rejected the August 5, 2019 decision in the Kargil Council elections but now with the overwhelming majority the people of Ladakh have rejected the same in the Parliament elections", Kargili said and warned that if the sixth schedule and statehood would not be granted to Ladakh people of this region would raise the demand of rejoining into Jammu and Kashmir.

Leh leaders take exception to Kargili's statement

However, the statement of senior KDA leaders regarding Kargili's stance has raised suspicions among their counterparts in Leh.

Chering Dorjay, newly elected president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) and a key figure in the Leh Apex Body (LAB), denounced Kargili's views as unacceptable to the people of Leh. He stressed the need for the leaders of the KDA to clarify their position, highlighting that any unilateral decisions could jeopardize their alliance with the Leh Apex Body.

In response to Kargili's remarks, Tsering Stobdan urged the public not to lend credence to his statements, dismissing them as his personal opinions. Stobdan firmly distanced himself from Kargili's agenda of Ladakh's reunification with Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that Kargili does not speak on behalf of the entirety of Ladakh.

Leh groups annoyed with Kargil leadership for opposing Namgyal's candidature

Differences had already cropped up between Kargil and Leh during elections as religious and political groups of Kargil opposed the candidature of Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal, who was the unanimous candidate of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc.

Instead of supporting the candidature of Namgyal, religious and political groups of Kargil fielded Mohammad Haneefa Jan, who emerged victorious by defeating both the INDIA bloc and BJP candidates.

Haneefa Jan secured 65259 votes while Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal and BJP candidate Tashi Gaylson got 37397 and 31956 votes respectively.

Leaders of the Leh, especially those belonging to the Congress party, are annoyed with the adamant stand taken by the political groups of Kargil to oppose the candidature of Tsering Namgyal who is also an active member of the Leh Apex Body.

Notable, Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance are jointly agitating to grant statehood and sixth schedule to the Ladakh.

On May 6, the entire Kargil unit of the National Conference announced mass resignations in protest against the pressure to support the Congress candidate for the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat.

Mohammad Hanifa Jan, former district president of NC, contested the election as an independent candidate, supported by various religious, social, and political groups in Kargil, and won the seat.