In a surprising turn of events, independent candidate Haji Hanifa Jan emerged victorious in the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat elections, defeating Congress’s Tsering Namgyal. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which held the seat in the previous elections of 2014 and 2019, saw its candidate Tashi Gyalson finishing third in the race.
Jan, a former Kargil district chief of the National Conference (NC), secured a significant portion of the votes, garnering 65,259 votes, which accounts for 48.15% of the total votes cast. On the other hand, Namgyal received 37,397 votes, making up 27.59% of the votes, while Gyalson trailed behind with 31,956 votes, constituting 23.58% of the total votes.
The victory of Haji Hanifa Jan came after the Kargil unit of the National Conference resigned en masse to support him, following the nomination of Tsering Namgyal as the candidate of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
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The BJP’s decision to replace Tsering Namgyal with Tashi Gyalson as its candidate came amid widespread discontent in the region over the party’s failure to ensure safeguards under the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule, which provides for the autonomous administration of tribal areas, as well as the demand for statehood for Ladakh. The region witnessed prolonged protests lasting for 66 days this year over the implementation of the Sixth Schedule and the demand for statehood.
Haji Hanifa Jan’s victory not only marks a significant political shift in Ladakh but also reflects the sentiments and aspirations of the people, particularly those from the Kargil region.
As he steps into his role as the elected representative of Ladakh in the Lok Sabha, all eyes are on Jan to see how he will address the pressing issues facing the region and fulfill the expectations of his constituents.
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