Cong to lead Ladakh Council, NC relents after talks

National Conference and Congress today reached an agreement over formation of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil under which Congress will control the local governing body.
"It has been decided that the Congress party be allowed to form the LAHDC-Kargil and choose its leader as chairman of the Council," the Pradesh Congress Committee said in a statement after a meeting of the Coalition Coordination Committee chaired by state Congress president Saifuddin Soz here.
National Conference and Congress, coalition partners in the state government, were at loggerheads over the control of the LAHDC Kargil after a hung verdict in the polls held on August 22.

While Congress got 10 seats, National Conference secured eight seats in the 30-member body, which has four nominated members. Five independents supported the Congress while three supported the regional party.
The matters between the two coalition partners became worse after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah nominated four of his party men to the council without consulting the Congress leaders.
"The Coordination Committee also agreed that the nomination of four persons on behalf of the National Conference to the LAHDC Kargil remains intact; but the four nominated members won't have voting rights," the PCC statement said.

The statement said the NC members in the meeting stressed that the legal position in respect of voting rights for the four members be examined further.

"The Congress members agreed with this suggestion; but explained that as per the existing law, the nominated members do not have any voting rights," it said.
"It was also agreed that the Coordination Committee would examine the Congress party's strong plea for sharing position on nominations in future, equally. This would remain on the agenda of the Coordination Committee," the statement added.