NC Kargil unit resigns en masse citing ‘pressure’ to support INDIA bloc candidate

Kargil, May 06: In a dramatic turn of events ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Ladakh, the district unit of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) in Kargil has resigned en masse, citing intense pressure from the party’s central leadership to support the INDIA bloc’s Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal. The decision has thrown the region’s political landscape into disarray and sparked concerns about the internal unity of the JKNC.
Qamar Ali Akhoon, the Additional General Secretary of JKNC and Incharge of Ladakh, announced the mass resignations during a press conference in which he addressed the issue.
Akhoon termed the resignations as a “direct response to persistent and coercive demands” from the JKNC’s top leadership to endorse the Congress candidate in Ladakh, a move vehemently opposed by the local party members.
The JKNC’s decision raises serious questions about its future trajectory and influence in the region.
Akhoon said the directives from the party’s high command, delivered through telephonic and social media “pressure”, contradicted the fundamental interests of the people of Ladakh, making continued support untenable for JKNC members.
The looming elections in Ladakh, scheduled for May 20, have intensified the region’s political dynamics. The contest primarily features Tashi Gyalson of the BJP and Tsering Namgyal of the Congress, both hailing from Leh, much to the chagrin of Kargil residents.
Responding to this development, various political, social and religious bodies in Kargil, including Ahl-e-Sunnat and Islamia School, have urged the community to support the united independent candidate, Haji Muhammad Haneefa Jan. This call for unity has added pressure on the Congress and BJP candidates, potentially altering the electoral landscape in the region.
Political observers suggest that the division of votes between the BJP and Congress in Leh Division could play into the hands of Independent candidate Haneefa Jan, consolidating support from Kargil.
Qamar Ali Akhoon, the former food minister, said the resignations were made in the interest of the Kargil region’s welfare and hoped that their independent candidate would prevail in the parliamentary race.
Meanwhile, two other independent candidates from Kargil, Sajjad Kargilli and Kacho Muhammad Feroz, have withdrawn their nomination papers in a show of support for the Ladakh Democratic Alliance candidate, Haji Muhammad Haneefa Jan.