Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 28: Forty one candidates today filed their nomination papers for fifth election to Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh for 26 seats, which will go to polls on October 17. With this, total number of candidates, who have joined the fray so far, has risen to 65.
Several bigwigs including sitting Chief Executive Councilor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, Rigzin Spalpar, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president Dorje Angchok and National Conference leader Phunchok Wangdan have entered into the fray from prestigious Lower Leh constituency.
Official sources said tomorrow is last date for filing the nomination papers, the process for which had started on September 22. Scrutiny of documents will take place on September 30 while candidates can withdraw their nominations till October 2 afternoon.
Candidates of all major political parties have jumped into the political fray including the Congress, BJP, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference. Newly formed New Ladakh Movement has also fielded some candidates for the elections. Movement chief convenor Sonam Wangchok will contest from two seats—Lower Leh and Khaltsi.
Congress, however, is the lone party, which will put up candidates for all 26 seats while its main rival, the BJP, has left some seats for the PDP. The National Conference was expected to contest seven seats—four from Leh and three from Nobra. The PDP was likely to field candidates on four seats. However, sources said, the exact picture on how many seats the parties will be contesting will be known only after 4 pm tomorrow when the deadline for nomination of forms will expire tomorrow.
The Election Authorities have set up separate Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) for all 26 seats of the Council so that the candidates didn’t have to trek to file their nomination forms.
In the last and fourth Council elections in 2010, Congress had won 22 seats and BJP 4. The PDP, NC and Independent candidates had drawn blank. This time also, the political observers believed that there will be direct fight between Congress and BJP though NC and PDP were also putting up weight behind their candidates to open their account and make their presence felt in the Leh district.
In May 2014, the BJP had created history by winning Ladakh Lok Sabha seat for the first time. However, in November-December Assembly elections in 2014, the Congress struck back by winning both Assembly seats in Leh district including Leh (Nawang Rigzin Jora, who has made the hat-trick) and Nobra (Deldan Namgayal).
Both the parties are hoping for majority in the Council. While BJP is confident that it would repeat the performance of Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is hoping to repeat the show of Assembly elections. Both the parties were expected to launch high pitched campaign for the elections once the nomination process and withdrawal of forms are completed.
Polling for all 26 seats will be held on October 17 while counting will be held for all seats at district headquarters of Leh on October 21.
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