A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Tashi Gyalson as its candidate for the solitary Lok Sabha seat in Ladakh, sitting MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal expressed his resentment, stating that he would consult with his supporters before deciding on his future course of action.
Upon his arrival at Leh airport, Namgyal was greeted by a swarm of supporters who gathered around him and chanted slogans in his support. The outpouring of affection and support from his constituents underscored the deep connection he has forged with the people of Ladakh during his tenure as their representative.
In a statement to reporters, Namgyal questioned the party’s decision, saying, “There may be reasons to give mandate to Tashi Gyalson, but see the volunteers, they have come on their own without any intimation and are expressing their sentiment and aspirations. I am emotional now and I won’t be able to pinpoint the reason behind the party’s decision.”
Namgyal, once the poster boy of the BJP in Ladakh, recollected how he had traveled the length and breadth of the region in the past five years, working tirelessly for the development of the UT and its people. He highlighted the party’s strong performance in the LAHDC Kargil and its retention of the Leh hill development council, showcasing his leadership and ability to deliver results.
Visibly upset, Namgyal said he had sought reasons from senior party leaders over him being denied the party ticket. He stated, “I tried to know from the senior party leaders that I stray from the party ideology, underperformed in the parliament, misbehaved with anyone or did I commit any scam. Even my supporters are at wit’s end and they also didn’t expect this decision. Though we are not against the BJP and we purely go by the party ideology, I will meet with my people in the next couple of days and deliberate upon the issue before we take a collective decision.”
Namgyal also expressed concern that the people of Ladakh were not ready to accept the BJP’s decision to field Tashi Gyalson. He said, “We congratulate Tashi Gyalson for the party mandate but several workers are not happy. This also raises a question that by doing so, would BJP be able to retain the seat?”
Notably, Ladakh’s population has been simmering with discontent against the BJP over the Centre’s failure to accord protection under the Constitution’s sixth schedule and statehood to the UT. It is in this backdrop that the BJP on Tuesday announced Tashi Gyalson, the chairperson-cum-chief executive councillor of LAHDC in Leh, as its candidate from Ladakh.
Speaking about the development, Leh Apex Body co-chairperson and former minister Chering Dorje Lakruk, said, “The BJP has sidelined Namgyal, probably a move to soothe frayed nerves of the people but people are still very angry with the saffron party.” He asserted that constant denial of sixth schedule and statehood to Ladakh has fueled strong resentment among the people of Ladakh against the BJP.
The Congress hasn’t yet announced its candidate. It will be supported by INDIA bloc ally National Conference, while PDP does not have a strong base in Ladakh.
In 2019, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal had hogged media glare for his viral speech in Lok Sabha to defend the Modi government’s decision to repeal Article 370 and make Ladakh a separate Union Territory. Later, Prime Minister Modi and other BJP parliamentarians had heaped praise on Namgyal for his speech on the motion to scrap the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir and a Bill to bifurcate the state into two union territories.
Polling in the constituency takes place on May 20.
