BJP sweeps Leh council poll; PM Modi hails victory

Leh, October 23

Dislodging the Congress, the BJP on Friday swept the elections for the 26-member Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh, bagging 17 of the 24 seats for which results were declared.

The Congress, which had 22 seats in the outgoing Council, managed only four seats this time, while the National Conference got two. One seat was bagged by an Independent.

The poll victory was hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who expressed his gratitude to the people of the region for reposing their faith in the BJP.

“Delighted at the results of Ladakh Hill Council Polls. My gratitude to people for placing their faith in BJP. Congrats to BJP Karyakartas,” he tweeted.

The party had won the Lok Sabha poll last year from Ladakh constituency, the lone seat in the region, by dislodging the Congress.

BJP candidates won from Tegar, Panamik, Tangtse, Chushul, Kungyam, Sakti, Igoo, Martselang, Thiksay, Chuchot, Upper Leh, Phyang, Sku-Markha, Saspol, Temisgam, Khaltse and Skurbuchan council seats in the election held on October 19.

The Congress has so far managed only four seats, winning Lamayouru, Basgo, Lingshet and Korzok seats.

The National Conference has won two seats — Lower Leh and Turtuk — while Diskit seat went to an Independent.

The results for two council seats — Hunder and Nyoma — are awaited.

Ninty candidates were in the fray and over 65 per cent electorate had exercised their franchise.

In the last election held in 2010, the Congress had 22 seats, while the BJP had four.

The most important seat was considered to be Lower Leh from where Rigzin Spalbar of NC won. Spalber, outgoing CEC of LAHDC, had left the Congress just before the poll to join the NC. — PTI