| After defeating Cong in elections, Haji Haneefa seeks support of Kharge, Rahul | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, June 11: In a significant political development, newly elected Lok Sabha member Haji Haneefa Jan met with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi, signaling a potential alliance between the rebel National Conference leader and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
Before engaging with Congress leaders, Haji Haneefa Jan held discussions with National Conference Vice-President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Sources indicate that it was upon Abdullah’s recommendation that Jan met with Kharge and Gandhi to address Ladakh-specific issues before the Congress leadership.
Speaking to the media, Jan emphasized the need for INDIA’s support in addressing key demands, including the implementation of the sixth schedule and statehood for Ladakh. Despite the National Conference’s directive to support the INDIA alliance candidate Tsering Namgyal for the Ladakh seat, the party leadership swiftly acknowledged Haji Haneefa Jan’s victory.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah congratulated Jan, praising his perseverance and commitment to representing the marginalized people of Kargil in the Lok Sabha. Abdullah’s tweet read, “To @HajiHanifa, I’m really very happy for you today. A few months ago, you faced defeat in the hill council elections, and now you will represent Ladakh, especially the marginalized people of Kargil in the Lok Sabha.”
In response, Haji Haneefa expressed gratitude, stating, “Thank you, @OmarAbdullah ji! It is an incredible honor to represent Ladakh in the Lok Sabha. This victory belongs to every individual who believed in my cause and worked tirelessly to make it happen.”
This election outcome mirrors a similar episode from 2009 when rebel National Conference candidate Ghulam Hassan Khan defeated the official NC-Congress alliance candidate P Namgyal and later joined the Congress-headed UPA-II.
Haneefa Jan, running as an Independent candidate, secured a decisive victory in the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat, surpassing both the Congress and BJP candidates. The BJP, which had previously held the seat in the last two elections, faced a major upset.
The historical parallel continues, as in 2009, during the coalition government of the National Conference (NC) and the Congress in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat was allocated to the Congress. However, Ghulam Hassan Khan’s rebellion led to his victory as an Independent candidate, extending unconditional support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the request of NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah. |
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