Elections for the Kargil region of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) are scheduled for October 4, marking the first since Article 370 was repealed.
The election is primarily viewed as a battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which now controls the Central Government and the coalition of the Congress and National Conference (NC). The poll can provide insight into the regional electorate ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.
In the 30-member Kargil council, elections are held for 26 seats, while nominations are made for the other four.
The BJP was only able to secure 1 seat in the last elections, which were conducted in August 2018. However, after Article 370 was repealed, two People's Democratic Party (PDP) councillors joined the BJP, increasing the party's size to three. The four nominees are also considered to be BJP supporters, according to reports.
The PDP, led by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, has withdrawn from the Ladakh wing as it does not have its presence there and has chosen not to participate in the election.
Despite having solidified their alliance months in advance, the NC and Congress, the two parties with the most councillors in the Kargil council with 10 each, chose to put their candidates against one another in races where the BJP is not a strong contender.
While 17 NC candidates have submitted their nominations, 22 of the 26 seats up for election are being contested by the Congress. Additionally, the BJP is running for 17 seats.
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