In Ladakh, communal split in Congress is BJP’s ‘Himalayan’ advantage

It’s not just BJP versus Congress, also Leh versus Kargil, community versus community

JAMMU: A communal split within the Congress in the Himalayan constituency of Ladakh –one of the largest in terms of areas but among tiniest in terms of voters –is set to offer advantage to the Bhartiya Janta Party which is struggling against all odds to retain the seat it won in 2014.

When BJP announced Jamyang Tsering Namgyal as its candidate for the Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency, it looked like the Congress enjoyed an edge. But things have changed as the poll process progresses.

BJP had won the Ladakh seat for the first time in 2014. However, late last year the entire Ladakh unit of the BJP resigned from the party alleging that the saffron party and its ideological mentor RSS were interfering into religious affairs of the Buddhists.

Since Namgyal is closely affiliated with the RSS, his nomination by BJP had put Congress in a situation of advantage but a communal split in the party has changed the dynamics. Congress may have to face an uphill task to win the seat as a party rebel, backed by an influential religious organisation, has filed his nomination as an independent candidate, making the May 6 election a multi-cornered contest.

Rigzin Spalbar, of Congress, is fighting against party rebel Asgar Ali Karbalai in a battle that reflects schism between Leh and Kargil and the Buddhists and the Muslims. Spalbar, a Buddhist leader, is a two-time chief executive councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), and Karbalai is a former MLA of Kargil. There are six other candidates in the election fray.

Tsering Namgyal, the current CEC of the hill development council and graduate from University of Jammu, is the BJP candidate. Dorji Angchuk is its "covering candidate".

On the last day of filing of nominations on Thursday, five independents, including Karbalai, filed their papers with the election commission.

Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency is the largest in India in terms of area.

Out of six parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh has the distinction of having the least number of polling stations, 559, for the lowest number of voters, 1,71,819. Leh and Kargil districts have 294 and 265 polling stations, respectively.

Karbalai, after denial of Congress ticket, decided to take on Spalbar, in a major setback to the grand old party. He is backed by the influential Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust, Kargil.

The NC-PDP has fielded a joint candidate.

Namgyal, 31, has served as private secretary to former BJP MP and renowned Buddhist spiritual leader Thupstan Chhewang.

But, political observers say, the saffron party is struggling to rise to the challenge.

Chhewang had won the seat for BJP for the first time in 2014 but he resigned from its primary membership in November last year, calling BJP's promises "empty rhetoric".

In Ladakh, the last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 22.

According to the election commission, most of the polling stations have been set up at an altitude of 8,001 or higher, and the maximum number of high-altitude stations, 183, is in Leh assembly segment, followed by 158 in Kargil.

With a polling booth for least number of voters and one at the highest altitude, Leh has it all. The polling station for the least number of voters 12 has been set up at Gaik village in Leh Assembly segment. Five of the voters in Gaik are male and seven female, officials said.

The constituency also has a polling station at the highest altitude in the country at 14,890 ft above the sea level at a place called Anlay Pho.