90 candidates left in fray for 26 constituencies

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 3

The fifth general elections to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, are set to witness a close contest between the BJP and its bête-noire, Congress, with only 90 candidates remaining in the fray for 26 constituencies.

As many as 47 candidates yesterday withdrew their nomination papers on the last date of the withdrawal of candidatures.

“A total of 158 candidates had filed their nomination papers, out of which 21 were declared invalid during the scrutiny of documents,” sources told The Tribune.

The elections are scheduled to be held on October 17, while the counting of votes will take place on October 23. The poll process will be completed by October 28 and the new council will take charge in the first week of November.

The sources said six candidates were contesting from the Korzok constituency of the council, while there would be a straight contest on five constituencies, including Panamik, Chushul, Martselang, Basgo and Lingshet.

The Congress, which had been ruling the outgoing council, has fielded its candidates in all 25 constituencies of the council. The BJP has also decided to contest all seats. The PDP and the NC have announced to contest for eight constituencies each, whereas there are 24 Independents, including 16 from the newly formed New Ladakh Movement, who are also contesting for 16 seats. In the outgoing council, the Congress had 22 seats out of 26, while the BJP had the remaining four.

There have been differences between the PDP and the BJP in Leh district and both parties have been contesting the polls separately.

The PDP’s decision not to ally with the BJP for the Leh council elections has given a setback to the saffron party, which, emboldened by its historic victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, has been eyeing to wrest control over the council for the first time. The Congress may face the threat of anti-incumbency and it has been campaigning against the BJP’s “failure” to fulfil the commitments made by it during the Lok Sabha elections.

As many as 80,811 voters, including 67,757 in Leh and 13,054 in Nubra, will exercise their right to franchise on the 274 polling stations set up in 26 constituencies of the council.