NC moves no-confidence motion against LAHDC head

SRINAGAR: In a high-altitude battle of nerves, NC on Friday moved a no-confidence motion against the Congressman heading Kargil’s Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC). The move can have a spillover on the Lok Sabha elections in the arid Ladakh seat comprising communally sensitive Kargil and Leh districts.

“We were in majority when the elections to the LAHDC took place in August 2013,” Kacho Ahmad Ali Khan told The ET from Kargil. “But the party decided that Congressman Asgar Ali Karbalie will head it so we supported it. But the Council has victimized us so we were forced to move a no confidence motion against him.”

While the Deputy Commissioner will take his own time to summon the council and check the support of the incumbent regime, the event can have an impact on the Lok Sabha seat. After Kacho submitted a no confidence motion against Karblie, he spoke to a gathering of around two thousand people in the main town.

NC and Congress have decided to go jointly to the Lok Sabha elections. While Congress will contest from two Jammu seats and the only Ladakh seat, NC has got three Kashmir berths.

Congress is yet to formally announce its candidates. For Jammu and Udhampur, it has almost taken a decision but the party is indecisive on Ladakh. Right now, the Congress is considering two politicians and both are from Leh: Rigzin Spalbar and Tsering Samphel. While Spalbar is heading the LAHDC in Leh, Samphel is district Congress chief for Leh.

This can trigger a backlash from Kargil because there is a feeling of “getting ignored”. A senior NC leader from the region said the decision about voting is being decided collectively. “We have two religious institutions and they will set and take a final call,” the leader said on the condition of anonymity. “If they feel satisfied with the candidature of Congress, it is ok, if the do not, they may field an independent candidate.”

It was exactly what happened in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. As Congress fielded Phuntsog Namgyal, Kargil felt ignored and fielded Hassan Khan as an independent candidate. As the region felt communally divided Khan won. He resigned as MP recently and is not unwilling to contest if the community asks him.