Tasaduq Hussain
Srinagar, Oct 02 :
Poll campaigning for the 5th general LAHDC elections concluded today with top leadership of BJP, NC, and Congress making last minute pitches for their parties.
Initially, the election was scheduled to be held on 10 September 10 but was later changed to October 4 following the Supreme Court verdict.
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) is politically significant for all parties given elections are happening in Kargil for the first time since Article 370 was abrogated in August 2019. Earlier, the council was headed by a National Conference leader Feroz Khan.
As per details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the poll body Kargil ordered the conclusion of poll campaigning at 4 pm.
It ordered all the parties and people not to hold meetings, display election matters, or propagate election-related matters. Also, none can conduct a public or exit poll.
A total of 85 candidates are in the poll fray. The NC-Congress alliance will be in direct contest with BJP. AAP is also contesting its first election in Kargil besides 25 are contesting as independent candidates.
Top leadership of NC, Congress, and BJP campaigned for their parties in the region to evoke response.
Union Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi campaigned for candidates of her party (BJP) in Kargil. She had also joined some candidates in filing nomination paper.
BJPs National General Secretary Tarun Chug also visited Kargil to campaign for party candidates. Apart from them Ashok Koul, general secretary (org) J&K and Ladakh also campaigned for his party. Ladakh MP Tsering Namgyal also joined his party to campaign for his party candidates.
Some top faces of BJP from Jammu and Kashmir were also sent to Kargil to campaign for party candidates.
From the Indian National Congress (INC), the only national leader to visit the region was Rahul Gandhi. During his visit, Rahul Gandhi addressed public gatherings and also held youth interaction programs. He has also assured them to be their representative in parliament sessions.
National Conference (NC) Vice President, Omar Abdullah the former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir also campaigned for his party. He also visited Drass after addressing a gathering in Kargil. He was accompanied by Nasir Aslam Wani during his visit to address a public gathering at Choo Stadium.
In the last couple of weeks, parties along with their candidate held campaigns including road shows, door to door campaigns, and also organized multiple public outreach programs to persuade voters to vote in favor of them.
NC-Congress alliance is backed by the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), a group of senior political leaders in the region raising 4-point demands for the safeguarding of Ladakh—(KNO)