BJP dumps sitting MP Jamyang Namgyal, fields Tashi Gyalson ‘to regain ground’ in Ladakh

Defiant JTN says ‘injustice with dedicated Karyakarta, will determine next course of action’

Jammu: In an apparent bid to soothe the frayed nerves in the protest-hit Ladakh region and regain the lost ground, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday opted to replace sitting Member of Parliament (MP) Jamyang Tsering Namgyal (JTN) with Tashi Gyalson, a lawyer by profession, as their candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the cold desert of the country.
Gyalson is the chairman-cum-Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council in Leh. The decision to drop JTN is learned to have been taken “to placate the angry protestors” who have been demanding Statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution after Ladakh was granted the UT status.
Namgyal, who had hit the headlines in 2019 with his viral speech in Lok Sabha to defend the Narendra Modi government’s decision to repeal Article 370 and make Ladakh a separate Union Territory, has reacted defiantly and termed the decision as “injustice to a dedicated Karyakarta”.
Giving a clear indication of revolt, he also announced that he and his supporters would “carefully evaluate the situation and determine their next course of action”.
“Today, the BJP announced a new candidate for the Ladakh parliamentary constituency, replacing the sitting MP without providing transparent and compelling justification. I have communicated my disagreement to the party leadership through proper channels regarding this injustice to a dedicated Karyakarta,” Namgyal said while reacting to the party's decision to replace him with the current CEC of Leh Council.
He further said, “Hundreds of BJP activists and my supporters from across Ladakh have also voiced their disapproval of this decision. We will carefully evaluate the situation and determine our next course of action, keeping the well-being of the people of Ladakh at the forefront. I extend heartfelt gratitude to all supporters for their steadfast backing”.
The BJP insiders in Ladakh told The News Now that the party's high command was not happy with the style of working of Jamgyal Tsering Namgyal as protests in support of the demand for Statehood to Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule escalated and spread to different parts of the otherwise peaceful region.
“His role to placate protestors and project himself as their representative was scrutinized and it was observed that he behaved politically immature to deal with the current situation, while senior leaders of the region, including two-time parliamentarian ThupstanChhewang, who is considered to be his mentor and launched him politically, were also not happy with his style of working and inappropriate attitude in the recent past,” sources said.
The situation allowed Congress and National Conference, which have announced to contest election jointly from the seat, to hijack the ongoing agitation, they said, adding “Instead of using their influence to counter the influence of NC and Congress leaders in the ongoing agitation, the BJP leaders including Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, are functioning as mute spectators in the region”.
“It is not clear as to how the decision of fielding a fresh face from the seat will affect the poll prospects of the BJP in the current Lok Sabha elections in Ladakh, but the Saffron party, which has already been facing anger from protestors for non-fulfilling its promise of declaring Ladakh under Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution (Tribal Area), is now preparing for a possible revolt in the region as leaders and party activists supporting the sitting Lok Sabha members are contemplating to resign from their respective positions”, they said.
The BJP won the Ladakh Parliamentary seat for two successive Lok Sabha elections. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, veteran politician ThupstanChhewang won this seat as BJP candidate by a margin of only 36 votes. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP candidate Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, who was then sitting Chairman-cum-CEC of LAHDC Leh recorded an impressive victory margin of 10,930 votes over NC, PDP, and Islamiya School Kargil joint candidate, Sajjad Kargili. Namgayal polled 42,914 votes as against Sajjad Karigili’s 31984.
The polling on the Ladakh seat is scheduled for May 20.

Updated On 4/24/2024 12:57:05 AM