Powerful religious bodies to field independent candidates

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 7: In a major setback to Alliance partners-National Conference and Congress, two top religious bodies-Islamiya School Kargil (ISK) and Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust (IKMT) Kargil have decided to field their independent candidates for Ladakh Parliamentary seat against the joint candidate of NC-Congress, T Samphel, District Congress president for Leh. Ladakh seat goes to polls on May 7 in fifth and final phase of elections in the State along with Baramulla-Kupwara.
Under the seat sharing agreement between NC and Congress, Ladakh seat had gone to the latter, which had announced the name of Samphel for the seat, which is presently represented by Ghulam Hassan Khan, an Independent MP, who had direct affiliation with National Conference as he also happened to be the NC Councilor in Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil.
The ISK had in the 2009 elections supported Hassan Khan as Independent candidate for Lok Sabha seat, which he had won defeating Congress candidate P Namgayal by 3600 votes.
ISK vice president Haji Mohammad Hanifa Jan told the Excelsior on telephone that they have decided not to support the coalition candidate and would announce the name of their candidate, who would contest the election from Ladakh seat as Independent in the next few days.
The ISK is generally a supporter of National Conference while the IKMT supports Congress. However, both the powerful religious bodies have this time decided not to support NC-Congress joint candidate and field their own independent candidates. The two bodies were of the view that the Alliance should have fielded a candidate from Kargil.
Haji Jan said the ISK had in principle decided to field its candidate for Ladakh seat but added that name of the candidate would be decided in the next few days after consultations with the ISK leaders and associates.
IKMT chairman Sheikh Hussain Lutfi also told the Excelsior that they have been forced to field their candidate for Ladakh seat though they were generally the supporter of Congress.
“We wanted the Congress to field a candidate from Kargil but they didn’t pay heed to us. They fielded a candidate from Leh. Now, we have been exploring all possibilities including fielding of an independent candidate from Kargil,” Mr Lutfi said, adding that a decision on the candidate would be taken in the next few days.
Sources said the ISK is considering several names for fielding an independent candidate including sitting MP Ghulam Hassan Khan, Fida Hussain, former Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, Aga Sayeed Kazim, former Executive Councilor of LAHDC, Kargil, Murtaza Khalili, former Principal, Advocate Kacho Manzoor, Public Prosecutor and Kacho Asfandyar Khan, a retired bureaucrat.
When approached on telephone, sitting MP Ghulam Hassan Khan said he has not taken any decision whether to contest the election again as Independent or not. “A decision will be taken shortly,” he added.
Sources said the IKMT was discussing the names of Dr Kacho Mohammad Hussain, a Surgeon Specialist son of senior Congress leader Kacho Mohammad Ali Khan, Aga Syed Hassan Arman, Councilor among others for Ladakh said.
It may be mentioned here that the BJP has fielded strong candidate Thupstan Chhewang from Ladakh. Mr Chhewang had won the Parliament seat in 2004.
Nomination papers for Ladakh Lok Sabha seat would open on April 12 and close on April 19. Polling will be held on May 7.

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