LADAKH: BJP’S NAMGYAL FALLS IN LINE, SAYS WON’T CONTEST AS INDEPENDENT

Ending more than a week of suspense, the incumbent BJP MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal from Ladakh, who had earlier revolted against the party high command’s choice Tashi Gyalson, relented and reconciled on Friday, the last day of filing nominations for the solitary Lok Sabha constituency.

With people of Ladakh seething in anger against the BJP for denying safeguards under sixth schedule and statehood to the union territory, the saffron party, probably in a bid to soothe frayed nerves and placate the people, dropped Jamyang Tsering Namgyal and picked up chairman-cum-chief executive councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council of Leh Tashi Gyalson for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

The solitary Lok Sabha constituency goes to polls on May 20.

“I have not rejoined the BJP. The party is my home, my family and my political birth took place here. Yes, sometimes differences crop up in a family but I have been saying all along that we are not angry with Modi ji, BJP or Tashi Gyalson,” he told media persons in Leh.

“Sometimes differences do crop up in a family and these differences, in turn, strengthen the family. We have resolved all the differences and from today we will start campaigning for the BJP to ensure its third consecutive win and take it beyond 400 seats,” he said.

Reacting to the resentment among his supporters after he was denied party mandate over Tashi Gyalson to contest the elections, he said, there resentment was obvious because we worked for the past five years visiting every village of Ladakh and ensuring welfare schemes by Prime Minister Modi reach across the region.

“But to run a party and a nation, the BJP has taught us that nation comes first, party second and self third. Self aspiration comes last. We have to take the nation forward and secure Ladakh and future of its people. Therefore, whatever steps required would be initiated and today we have joined in the campaign for Tashi Gyalson’s win,” he said.

Later, he took to his Facebook account and posted a message.

“I have passed on the baton of parliamentary responsibility of furthering Ladakh’s development to Tashi Gyalson ji, the BJP Candidate for the Ladakh Lok Sabha Election 2024. Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi Ji, I am confident that Sh Tashi Gyalson will carry forward the journey towards a #ViksitBharatViksitLadakh,” it read.

During 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal had secured 42,914 votes and a pass to parliament while independent candidate Sajjad Kargili stood second with 31,984 votes.

The party’s contesting candidate and CEC of the LAHDC-Leh, Tashi Gyalson said that several attempts were made to cause a split between him and Namgyal.

“But I always maintained that we are inseparable. We can’t be separated and today, we are on the same platform to allay the apprehensions and put speculations to rest,” he said.

Haji Hanifa Jan files nomination as independent

Meanwhile, Haji Hanifa Jan, who was the consensus candidate of Kargil unit’s National Conference and Congress and Kargil Democratic Alliance’s (KDA) Sajjad Hussain filed their nominations as independent candidates before the assistant returning officer in Kargil.

“Mohammad Hanifa of NC Kargil filed his nomination papers as independent while Kacho Mohammad Feroz is his covering candidate. Similarly, Sajjad Hussain of KDA filed his nomination as independent candidate and Ghulam Nabi is his covering candidate,” said an election official.

With Tashi Gyalson of the BJP, Tsering Namgyal of the Congress and four independents, a total of six candidates, have filed their nomination papers.

The electoral history of Ladakh reflects a dynamic landscape. Congress won it six times in 1967, 1971, 1977, 1980, 1984 and 1996.

National Conference won it twice in 1998 and 1999. Independents won it thrice in 1989, 2004 and 2009. BJP has won it twice in 2014 and 2019.

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2024-05-04T01:18:30Z dg43tfdfdgfd