Syed Hashim Rizvi

Kargil, October 29/ VOL News Desk/ A new political alignment is taking shape in Kargil ahead of the upcoming Municipal Elections, with the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and Jamiat Ulama Ithna Ashariya Kargil reaching an electoral understanding to jointly field candidates for all 17 seats of the Kargil Municipal Committee.

Under the understanding, candidates for all 17 seats will be finalised through mutual consultation and consensus between the two organisations. All candidates will contest the elections on the National Conference’s election symbol.

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According to a press release issued by National Conference Kargil Unit President Zakir Hussain, both organisations have agreed to undertake the candidate selection process on the basis of mutual consultation, cooperation and trust. They will continue discussions to identify mutually acceptable candidates for all 17 seats, with the final list to be prepared after further deliberations.

The electoral understanding is being viewed as a significant political development in Kargil’s municipal politics, particularly at a time when various political parties are working out their strategies for the upcoming elections. The cooperation between the National Conference and Jamiat Ulama Isna Ashariya has added a new dimension to the local political landscape.

Meanwhile, the National Conference Kargil Unit has clarified that there is currently no electoral alliance between the Indian National Congress and the National Conference in Kargil. It stated that their previous alliance was limited to the tenure of the Fifth Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, which came to an end with the dissolution of the Council on October 21, 2026.

On the other hand, neither the Indian National Congress nor the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has so far announced any formal electoral strategy or political position regarding the upcoming Municipal Elections. However, speculation continues in political circles over the possible strategies and electoral moves of both parties.

Political sources claim that the understanding between Jamiat Ulama Ithna Ashariya Kargil and the National Conference could have implications for the BJP’s local political strategy. According to these sources, a considerable number of people associated with the BJP’s Kargil unit also have links with Jamiat Ulama Ithna Ashariya. The electoral cooperation between the two organisations is, therefore, being viewed as a potential political challenge for the BJP. However, the BJP has not issued any official response on the matter so far.

The development comes amid renewed political discussions in the region following the Central Government’s announcement granting district status to Sankoo Sub-Division. The demand for district status for Sankoo has long been among Kargil’s key regional demands, and the announcement is also being viewed as an important factor in the context of the evolving political situation.

With the National Conference and Jamiat Ulama Ithna Ashariya agreeing to jointly decide candidates for all 17 municipal seats, attention is now focused on the next political moves of the BJP and Congress. The electoral strategies and candidate announcements of other political parties in the coming days are expected to further clarify the political picture ahead of the Kargil Municipal Elections.