LS polls: NC faces revolt in Kargil, district unit submits mass resignation

Kargil, May 06: The National Conference (NC) on Monday faced a massive revolt in Kargil district of Ladakh ahead of the Lok Sabha elections after the district unit Kargil submitted a mass resignation letter to the party high command.

The development comes after the National Conference high command asked the party cadre in Kargil to support the INDIA bloc candidate Tsering Namgyal in the Ladakh parliamentary constituency, which the National Conference cadre refused.

Additional General Secretary NC Qamar Ali Akhoon while addressing a press conference here, announced about the decision and said the National Conference unit Kargil has submitted mass resignation letter to party command. Akhoon said that the NC high command pressurised him that they should support Congress led INDIA bloc candidate Tsering Namgyal in the elections which is not acceptable to the Kargil leadership.

"In the interest of the Ladakh region as a whole and in order to secure the future of our region, the Ladakh Democratic Alliance has unitedly decided to project a joint candidate namely Mohammad Haneefa Jan as Independent Candidate for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Election from 1-Ladakh Parliamentary Constituency supported by all the political and religious groups unanimously cutting across the party/religious affiliations, stated the letter.

However, “The party high command is pressurizing us (both telephonically as well on social media) to support the official candidate of INC from Ladakh which is unacceptable to us including J&K NC and INC Unit Kargil”.

In this connection, as the party insists us to act against interest of the people of Ladakh, so we are compelled to resign enmass from all party functionaries, including the Additional General Secretary NC from the party post. This letter may be considered as mass resignation of all party functionaries from the primary membership of J&K National Conference, the letter stated.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, the Additional General Secretary NC Qamar Ali Akhoon said that they will not bow before party pressure and keep the interest of people of Ladakh first, adding that they will decide future course of action soon. He said that as of now their only aim is to make sure the win of Ladakh democratic alliance joint candidate Haji Hanifa in the upcoming Parliament elections.

Notably, the NC-Congress alliance in Kargil has fielded a joint candidate for Ladakh Lok Sabha seat. However, as per the seat sharing agreement between the two parties including National Conference and Congress the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat was given to Congress.