Srinagar: Haji Hanifa Jan, the newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) from Ladakh, held meetings with key Congress leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The meeting was also attended by Ayatullah Mehdivpur, the representative of Ayatullah Khamenei in India. Accompanying the MP were Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) President Mohammad Jafar Akhun and other local leaders.
Haji Hanifa Jan secured his parliamentary seat as an independent candidate, receiving 65,259 votes and winning by a margin of 27,862 votes over his closest rival. The Congress candidate, Tsering Namgyal, garnered 37,397 votes, while the BJP’s Tashi Gyalson obtained 31,956 votes.
Hanifa, a former leader of the National Conference, parted ways with his party along with the entire Kargil unit after the Congress nominated Namgyal as the candidate for the India Alliance. Subsequently, Hanifa ran as an independent candidate and achieved victory. Notably, Hanifa was the sole candidate from the Shia Muslim-dominated Kargil region, while the other two major contenders were from Leh.
Following his meetings with Congress leaders, speculation is rife about Hanifa’s political future. There is considerable buzz that Hanifa might align with the India Alliance, strengthening the opposition’s coalition. This potential alliance could have significant implications for the political dynamics in Ladakh and beyond—(KNO)
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