Mohammad Haneefa Jaan, rebel National Conference leader and Independent candidate, won the lone Lok Sabha seat of Ladakh by defeating Congress and BJP candidates on this Parliamentary segment of the cold desert.
The independent candidate, supported by the Kargil unit of Congress and the National Conference, snatched this Lok Sabha segment from the BJP.
As per the data shared by the Election Commission of India, independent candidate Mohammad Haneefa Jaan secured 65,259 votes, while his Congress rival Tsering Namgyal secured 37,397 votes. Haneefa Jan defeated the Congress candidate by a margin of 27,862
BJP candidate and chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh Tashi Gyalson, stood third by securing 31,956 votes.
Big setback for BJP in Ladakh
Winning a Lok Sabha seat by an Independent candidate is a big setback for the ruling BJP because the Saffron Party has won this Parliamentary segment in two successive elections of 2014 and 2019.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP candidate Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, who was then sitting Chairman-cum-CEC of LAHDC Leh, recorded an impressive victory margin of 10,930 votes over NC, PDP, and Islamiya School Kargil joint candidate, Sajjad Kargili. Namgayal polled 42,914 votes as against Sajjad Karigili's 31,984.
The 2014 Lok Sabha elections marked a pivotal moment as the BJP clinched victory in Ladakh for the first time.
It was the first Lok Sabha election after the abrogation of Article 370 and the granting of Union Territory status to Ladakh.
The political landscape in Ladakh has undergone significant shifts, notably after the abrogation of Article 370.
To @HajiHanifa I’m really very happy for you today. A few months ago you tasted defeat in the hill council elections & now you will represent Ladakh, especially the marginalised people of Kargil in the Lok Sabha. Your victory cost @JKNC_ it’s Kargil unit but it was well worth the…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 4, 2024
Omar congratulates rebel leader Haneefa Jan after victory
Realizing the importance of every Lok Sabha member in the formation of the new government in Delhi, the National Conference vice president wasted no time in congratulating Haji Haneefa Jan amid counting.
"To @HajiHanifa I'm really very happy for you today. A few months ago you tasted defeat in the hill council elections & now you will represent Ladakh, especially the marginalized people of Kargil in the Lok Sabha. Your victory cost @JKNC_ it's Kargil unit but it was well worth the price", Omar posted on his social media account.
It is important to mention here that the entire Kargil unit in the Union Territory of Ladakh had announced mass resignations due to disagreements over the choice of candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The decision was conveyed to party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah in a letter by Qamar Ali Akhoon, the Additional General Secretary of Ladakh. Akhoon revealed that the unit's resignation stemmed from pressure exerted by the party's high command to support the official Congress candidate from Ladakh.
After tendering mass resignation, the Ladakh unit of the National Conference extended unconditional support to Haji Haneefa Jan.
Historically, the Congress has been the dominant force here, winning six times, while the NC secured victory twice, and independent candidates triumphed three times.
In 1989, independent candidate Mohammad Hassan Commander stopped the Congress's winning streak by winning this seat.
In 1996 Lok Sabha elections, Phuntsog Namgyal of the Indian National Congress won this seat.
Syed Hussain of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference won this seat in 1998.
In 1999, it was again Hassan Khan of J&K National Conference who won this seat.
In 2004, Thuptasan Chewang emerged victorious as an Independent candidate.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Hassan Khan emerged victorious as an Independent candidate.
Year Candidate Party
- 2024 Haneefa Jan Independent
- 2019 Jamyang Tsering Namgyal BJP
- 2014 Thupstan Chhewang BJP
- 2009 Hassan Khan Independent
- 2004 Thupstan Chhewang Independent
- 1999 Hassan Khan National Conference
- 1998 Syed Hussain National Conference
- 1996 Phuntsog Namgyal Congress
- 1989 Mohd Hassan Independent
- 1984 Phuntsog Namgyal Congress
- 1980 Phuntsog Namgyal Independent
- 1977 Parvati Devi Congress
- 1971 Kushok Bakula Congress
