Ladakh Imbroglio Intensifies

Ladakh was granted the Union Territory status on 5th August 2019 when Jammu and Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into two Union Territories-Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Political analysts had expressed satisfaction over the decision as far as Ladakh is concerned. After all the decades old demand of the Ladakhis for the Union territory status was conceded. Though the demand for the Jammu state and reorganisation of Kashmir did not take place at that time as was being speculated by various quarters. It was being felt that Ladakh will walk on the path of development and social harmony after this decision. But it seems that the fault lines in terms of political priorities are too deep in Ladakh that have sharpened now. What was seen to be the popular demand of the people in Ladakh has ended in a stalemate. The people of Ladakh are demanding the sixth schedule status and statehood now. Besides the law for the protection of land culture and identity of the locals. Agitation is going on unabated for a considerable time for now after the grant of the Union territory status to Ladakh under the leadership of Ladakh Apex Body(LAB) and Kargil democratic Alliance (KDA).During this agitation a well known engineer turned educational reformer of Ladakh, Sonam Wangchuk. Political faultiness in Leh and Kargil did exist and that is well known. But the decision by Ladakhis to ask for the reversal of their own decades-old demand for Union Territory status has surprised many. Though there are repeated feelers for the talks between the dissenters and the centre, nothing concrete has transpired on the ground. The political situation is getting murkier. In the recent development, Bharatiya Janata Party( BJP) has replaced the sitting Lok Sabha Member Parliament(MP) from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal with Chairman and CEC Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Tashi Gyalson.Namgyal has expressed his resentment in the social media over the decision of the party saying that he has conveyed his resentment to the party high command through proper channels, claiming the support of hundreds of supporters. He was seen as the vocal face of Ladakh. He came to national prominence with his speech that went viral while defending the neutralisation of Article 370 and 35 A in the Parliament. The new candidate, Tashi Gyalson was earlier with Peoples democratic Party (PDP). He was then expelled from the party for demanding the Union Territory Status for Ladakh in 2016 and joined the BJP in 2019.This move is seen as addressing the situation prevailing on the ground. As it is a well-known fact that Kargil had not been so vocal for the Union territory status as Leh. Gyalson is supposed to have hold on the ground and has done developmental work. After being elected as the councillor from the Lingshed constituency in Leh in 2020 he was elevated to the position of Chief Executive Councillor cum Chairman of the Ladakh autonomous Hill Development Council(LAHDC).How this decision will impact the prospects of the BJP in Ladakh will be known after 20th May when the newly created UT goes to polls? One thing is clear that the socio-political situation in Ladakh is fragile. As it is vivid and clear that Ladakh is divided. So are the political players. If the union territory status has takers then its opponents too are today in the forefront. Will the Parliamentary Elections be a referendum to settle this question as to who represents the true aspirations of Ladakh? Only time will tell. Agitation to reverse UT status for Ladakh is shaping the new political dynamics. Replacing Namgyal with Gyalson signifies many things and this is one.