Srinagar, Oct 26: Despite losing two seats than 2015, the BJP on Monday won the sixth Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Leh general council elections by bagging 15 out of a total of 26 seats. In the polls boycotted by National Conference and PDP, the Congress performed better than the previous poll, winning nine seats while Independents won two.
In 2010 polls, the BJP won only four and Congress had 22. In the previous polls, the BJP had 17 seats, and the Congress tally plunged to four while the National Conference had won two seats.
An electorate of 89,776, including 45,025 women, exercised their franchise in 294 polling stations spread over 26 constituencies across Leh district. There were 94 candidates, including 26 each of the BJP and Congress. Besides the Congress and BJP, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) had fielded 19 candidates. There were 23 Independents in the fray.
The LAHDC, Leh was constituted in accordance with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act of 1995 during P.V. Narasimha Rao’s government, and its first election was held in 1995. Later during the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led PDP rule in 2003, a similar council was established for Kargil district.
Reports said among the BJP winners include two Muslim faces—Ghulam Mehdi from Turtuk, and Mirza Hussain from Chuchot.
The constituencies won by the BJP included Turtuk, Panamik, Tegar, Hunder, Diskit, Tangtse, Kungyam, Sku Markha, Thiksey, Korzok, Lingshed, Lamayuru, Martseylang, Khaltse and Chuchot.
The seats won by the Congress included Lower Leh, Upper Leh, Igoo, Saspol, Basgo, Sakti, Phyang, Skurbuchan and Temisgam. Chushul and Nyoma were two seats won by the independent candidates.
“First major victory for BJP in UT Ladakh. BJP won 15 out of 26 seats in the Leh Autonomous District Council elections. Congrats team BJP, Ladakh UT,” tweeted BJP leader Ram Madhav.
While at least eight BJP central ministers campaigned for the council polls of Leh, Several central ministers from BJP campaigned for the party candidates. no senior central or state leader campaigned in the elections.
65.07 per cent turnout was recorded in LAHDC elections on Thursday, seven weeks after the BJP-led LAHDC Leh passed a resolution, seeking safeguards under Article 371 of the Constitution or Sixth Schedule or domicile law, to protect the tribal rights of the indigenous people of Ladakh.
