BJP to contest all 26 seats of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council

JAMMU: The BJP today said it will, for the first time, contest on all 26 seats in the upcoming elections for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC).

"For the first time we will contest on all the 26 seats of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development council (LAHDC)," former BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Manhas told reporters here.

He said the party would hold consultation with the ruling coalition partner but most probably go alone in the elections.

"Though we are in coalition with PDP in the state, we will consult with them, but most probably we will go alone in the elections," he said.

Manhas said the party leaders recently visited Ladakh and have decided to donate Rs 1.10 crore to the flood relief of the region.

"Ladakh has once again been devastated with flash floods and we have decided that the eight MLCs of the party, one MLA and myself will donate a total of Rs 1.10 crore towards the relief of the flood victims of the region," he said.

Replying to a question, Manhas said since the BJP-PDP coalition has taken over in the state, the development of Jammu region has become the 'top most priority' of the J-K government.

"The discrimination with the Jammu region is now a thing of past and development of the region has taken the top most priority of the state government is committed to develop Jammu," he said.