Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency in Jammu and Kashmir is geographically the largest Parliamentary constituency in the country but smallest in terms of population.
The cold desert has a polling station at Anlay Pho inChanthang area established at an altitude of 15,000 feet above the sea-level.
There are places in the Ladakh where polling stations havebeen set up for just 7 voters — Gaik polling station in Leh and Washi in Nubrasegments.
The constituency has two districts — Leh and Kargil. WhileLeh predominately has Buddhist population, Kargil has mostly Muslim population.
The region, where the demand for Union Territory status hasbeen predominant for years, will see a four-cornered contest when polling takesplace on May 6.
The four candidates in the fray are Rigzin Spalbar of theCongress, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal of the BJP and two independents, Haji AsgarAli Karbalai and Sujjad Hussain.
The seat was last time won by BJP’s Thupstan Chhewang whodefeated independent candidate Gulam Raza by just 36 votes.
Chhewang, however, resigned from both the party andParliament last year, accusing the BJP of not fulfilling the promises made tothe people of Ladakh.
This time, the BJP has fielded Jamgang Tsering Namgyal, theChief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the powerful Ladakh Autonomous HillDevelopment Council (LAHDC).
Ladakh was granted the divisional status by Governor SatyaPal Malik, who is governing the state where President’s rule was imposed inDecember last year.
The grant of the divisional status, setting up of a separatecampus of the Kashmir University and huge central findings for exploiting thesolar power potential of the region are likely to help the BJP in theconstituency.
Spalbar, on his part, promises to bring the region closer toNew Delhi, more than has been done by the BJP during its five years in power atthe centre.
Karbalai is a Congress rebel who belongs to Kargil districtand is supported by the religious and social organisation, the Imam Khomeinimemorial trust Kargil.
Sajjad Hussain, the other independent belonging to Kargil issupported by the Islamia school, another powerful social and religiousorganisation of the district.
Sajjad is also supported by the regional National Conference(NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), both of which have not fielded anycandidate from this constituency.
“Our Ladakh-specific election agenda is Union Territorystatus for Ladakh which means freedom from Kashmiri dominance,” BJPcandidate Namgyal said.
“We want inclusion of our Bhoti language in the 8thschedule of Indian constitution. We want opening of Kalash Mansarovar Yatraroute from Ladakh to Denjok. We demand Zojila tunnel and also opening ofPahalgam-Sanjoy route,” he added.
Spalbar said, “Whenever Parliament elections are heldin Ladakh, the region gets divided between Leh and Kargil, between theBuddhists and the Muslims. My first and foremost commitment is to end thisdivide which is traditionally created by vested interests.”
Underlining that faith should not be a dividing factor, hesaid, “We have the same cultural, social, ethnic and geographicalbackground. An MP elected by both Leh and Kargil would be the best person tobridge this divide. Unfortunately, in the past nobody tried to bridge this gapand I have decided to bridge this gap once and forever.”
Hussain said, “I am the unity candidate of Kargil. Mypriorities are connectivity, education, health sector and others.”
He underscored the need for a medical college, a University,tunnels across the Zojila and Khardung La Passes “and, of course I standfor the protection of state’s special status and I am against the abrogation ofArticles 370 and 35A.”
The total number of voters in this constituency is 1,74,618for whom 559 polling stations have been set up.
In addition to 86,752 male and 85,064 female electors, thereare 2,799 service voters and three transgender voters.
The constituency has four Assembly segments of Leh, Kargil,Zanskar and Nubra.
The Kargil segment has 65,294, Leh 72,689, Nubra 14,148 andZanskar 22,487 voters.