NC rebel has edge in 3-way close contest in Ladakh

Demands for statehood and 6th Schedule dominate the narrative following a string of agitations in the cold desert, which will go to polls on May 20

- FAYAZ WANI

AMID the ongoing agitation over statehood and 6th Schedule status, there is a triangular contest between BJP, Congress and an independent candidate for the Lok Sabha seat in the cold desert of Ladakh that votes in the 5th phase on May 20.

Only three candidates BJP's Tashi Gyalson, Congress' Tsering Namgyal and an independent candidate Haji Hanifa Jan, who belongs to the National Conference are in the fray for the Ladakh seat, the largest in the country with a total area of 173.266 sq km.

A total of 1,82,571 voters, including 91,703 males and 90,867 females, are eligible to vote in the strategic Ladakh parliamentary seat, which has borders with China and Pakistan.

The Ladakh UT, which was carved out from erstwhile J&K state after the abrogation of Article 370 and its bifurcation on August 5, 2019, comprises two districts the Muslimdominated Kargil and Buddhist-dominated Leh.

Leh & Kargil unity

Of the three candidates in the fray, two of BJP and Congress are from Leh while the independent candidate Hanifa Jan is from Kargil. The Kargil district has 95,929 voters while Leh district has 88,879.

Hanifa Jan of NC is backed by Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), an amalgam of various political parties except BJP, social, student and trade groups and religious organizations of Kargil district.