Located over 11,000 feet above the sea level, and bitterly divided on religious and regional lines, the cold desert of Ladakh is all set to vote in the Lok Sabha election on Monday. The going had been tough for all three camps in the battle - the BJP, the INDIA bloc and an Independent candidate - setting the stage for a cliffhanger.
It all started with the Ladakh seat witnessing political drama and suspense till the last date of filing of nominations. The BJP dropped incumbent MP and firebrand leader Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, and nominated Tashi Gyalson as its candidate amid rumbling within the party, till the high command eventually prevailed.
The INDIA bloc too could not keep its flock together. Several top leaders of the Congress and its ally National Conference (NC) rebelled against the grand old party’s decision to field its candidate Tsering Namgyal for the seat. The move saw Haji Hanifa Jan, an influential NC leader from Kargil, entering the fray as an Independent.
