National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Saturday launched its election campaign for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil (LAHDC-K) polls, weeks after the party won a legal battle to retain the party symbol, plough, for the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.
During the road trip of the region on Saturday, Mr. Abdullah, while referring to BJP MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal’s statements, said, “The BJP MP had claimed our party symbol has been removed forever from this region. Our symbol won’t go so easily. It is etched on the hearts of the people. That MP will be forgotten, not our symbol”.
Senior leaders including Nasir Aslam Wani, Agha Ruhullah and Tanvir Sadiq accompanied Mr. Abdullah. Exuding confidence in winning the upcoming hill council polls scheduled for October 4, Mr. Abdullah said the NC-Congress coalition would win the election. “The coalition will send a message to the entire country that Kargil has faced injustice,” Mr. Abdullah said.
The former J&K Chief Minister also targeted the Lieutenant Governor’s administration for lowering the security of candidates fielded by the coalition. “These gimmicks are of no help. We are going to win even if I would have campaigned on phone,” he added.
Kargil is witnessing first-ever polls after the Centre divided J&K into two UTs and ended its special constitutional position.
Kargil’s first-ever hill council polls will reflect the region’s mood post-August 5, 2019. The polls will see a direct contest between the National Conference-Congress combine and the BJP for the 26 seats. Interestingly, the Peoples Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) chose not to fight the polls.
Despite the coalition, sources said the Congress and the NC have decided to have a “friendly contest” on many seats. Of the 85 candidates in the fray, 22 are from the Congress, 17 from the NC, 17 from the BJP, four from the AAP and 24 Independents.
Earlier, Union Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi also campaigned in Kargil along with MP Namgayal.
The BJP had won just one seat during the 2018 polls in Kargil and the Congress had bagged the highest.
Meanwhile, the NC alleged that the Ladakh administration’s “cowardice was seen when NC leader Abdullah’s convoy was stopped at Zero Point Mini Marg and his security was not allowed to proceed”.
“He was forced to move ahead without security for his two-day visit to Kargil,” the NC said.
Appealing to the people of Kargil to use their vote in the right way, Mr. Abdullah said that this is the first time after August 5, 2019 that they are getting an opportunity to raise your voice.
“You can send a clear message through your vote that you accept or reject the decisions of August 5, 2019. What was given to Kargil after August 5, 2019?” Mr. Abdullah said.
