Kargil: In a significant development ahead of the November 21 panchayat and municipal elections in Ladakh, Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, expelled NC leader and former chairman and chief executive councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil, joined the BJP on Saturday.
Two other prominent faces, Raza Abbasi, ex-director of Sheep and Animal Husbandry, and social activist Fida Hussain, joined the Congress, signalling renewed political realignments in Kargil ahead of the local body polls.
The developments come amid heightened political activity across the region, with various political parties intensifying their efforts to strengthen their organisational base, mobilise public support and consolidate their respective positions ahead of the November 21 elections.
Akhoon was expelled from the National Conference (NC) for six years on July 18, after his refusal to honour a 2023 pre-poll rotational power-sharing agreement with the Congress, under which power was supposed to rotate after 2.5 years.
The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, was dissolved on October 21 by the lieutenant governor’s administration following the resignations of key council members, including Akhoon, three executive councillors and six councillors.
The move also follows the creation of new districts, including Drass, Zanskar and Sankoo, which has changed the territorial boundaries of the erstwhile Kargil district.
At the joining ceremony in Kargil, Akhoon said his close association with the BJP over the past three years helped him understand the party beyond the negative perceptions prevalent among the people.
Referring to his interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and senior BJP leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, Akhoon said he was particularly impressed by their approach and commitment.
Highlighting the party’s support during the struggle for district recognition and improved healthcare facilities, Akhoon invoked the slogan “Modi Hai To Mumkin Hai” and expressed his gratitude to the BJP’s Ladakh unit and its leadership.
At a separate function, Raza Abbasi, the son of former Zanskar MLA Haji Abbas, and Hussain joined the Congress in the presence of Ladakh Territorial Congress working president Asgar Ali Karbalai and other senior leaders.
The joining of Abbasi and Hussain marks a significant development in Kargil’s local political landscape, particularly in the run-up to the municipal committee elections, a Congress leader said.
