NC Expels CEC Akhoon Over BJP Support, Fueling Speculation on Political Realignment in Kargil

The National Conference (NC) on Saturday expelled Dr Jaffer Ali Akhoon, the Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, from the party’s primary membership for six years. The immediate trigger for the action was Akhoon’s decision to secure the passage of the Kargil district’s annual budget with the support of the BJP. Even as the BJP backing Akhoon has fuelled speculation about a possible political realignment in Kargil, the NC has so far acted only against Akhoon and not against its 12 councillors who also voted in favour of the budget. The LAHDC, Kargil is the region’s elected local governance body. Like its counterpart in Leh, it has 30 members — 26 elected and four nominated. The last LAHDC Kargil elections were held in October 2023, the first since Ladakh became a Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. The NC-Congress alliance swept the polls, winning 22 of the 26 seats. The NC secured 12 seats and Congress 10, while the BJP won two seats and the other going to Independents. The four nominated councillors sided with the BJP, taking its strength in the council to six. As both alliance partners had won nearly an equal number of seats, the NC and Congress agreed on a power-sharing arrangement. Under the agreement, the NC would head the council for the first two-and-a-half years before handing over the post of CEC to Congress. Akhoon was elected CEC as the NC’s nominee. However, when his two-and-a-half-year term ended, Akhoon refused to step down, triggering a political confrontation within the alliance. In May this year, Congress moved a no-confidence motion against him, which was backed by some NC councillors. While the motion remained pending, the annual budget became the first major test of Akhoon’s majority in the council. The budget was eventually passed with the support of all 12 NC councillors, six BJP councillors, one Congress councillor and one Independent. Nine Congress councillors and another Independent stayed away from the proceedings. The vote not only strengthened Akhoon’s position but also indicated the possibility of a new political alignment between sections of the NC and the BJP in Kargil. Akhoon, however, described the BJP’s backing as “unconditional support” and denied any political understanding. For the NC, the development came at a politically sensitive time. The party has been mounting its first major political campaign against the BJP-led Centre over the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Against this backdrop, Akhoon’s acceptance of BJP support was seen by the party leadership as politically untenable, prompting his expulsion. Political equations in Ladakh are often shaped as much by influential socio-religious institutions as by political parties. In Kargil, two such institutions — the Islamia School Kargil and the Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust — play a significant role in influencing electoral outcomes. While the Islamia School has traditionally backed regional parties, the Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust has generally been closer to the Congress. The two institutions, however, have also demonstrated political independence. During the 2024 Lok Sabha election, both backed Independent candidate Haneefa Jan instead of the INDIA bloc’s official nominee. Political observers in Kargil say the current rift between Akhoon and the National Conference may not be permanent. “Politics in Kargil is driven more by local interests than rigid party lines,” said a leader. “Give it some time and everything could be back to normal.”