Congress Credits Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra for Electoral Success in Ladakh’s LAHDC Kargil Polls

08-10-2023: The recent victory of the Congress in multiple seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections in Kargil has been attributed to the direct impact of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, as claimed by the party. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also took the opportunity to criticize the national media for allegedly overlooking the significant development in their coverage.

Jairam Ramesh remarked that while the national media might choose to downplay the news, the emerging trends clearly indicate that Congress is leading convincingly in the LAHDC elections in Kargil, with the BJP facing a near-complete wipeout. He credited this electoral success to Rahul Gandhi’s recent Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ladakh, highlighting the direct impact of the leader’s engagement with the region.

As per the latest reports, the National Conference (NC) and Congress have jointly secured 17 seats in the LAHDC polls, with the vote counting process still underway. Out of the 26 seats contested on October 4, the results for 20 seats have been declared so far.

The National Conference has emerged victorious in nine seats, while the Congress has secured victory in eight. Meanwhile, the BJP managed to win two seats, and an independent candidate clinched one seat.

This election marked a significant political event in Kargil, being the first key poll conducted after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, which led to the creation of the Union Territory of Ladakh. The contest primarily revolved around a triangular fight between the National Conference, Congress, and the BJP across most of the 26 seats.

The NC and Congress had previously announced a pre-poll alliance but fielded 17 and 22 candidates, respectively. They clarified that this arrangement was limited to areas where they perceived a tough contest against the BJP, emphasizing their strategic collaboration in the election.