SRINAGAR: Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday claimed that the National Conference is speeding towards a meteoric success in the election to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) in Kargil on Wednesday.

The campaigning for the Kargil Council poll ended on Monday. There are 85 candidates in the fray, with 22 representing the Congress, 17 from the NC, 17 from the BJP, four from the AAP, and 24 Independent candidates.
The National Conference and Congress are in alliance and the two parties are trying to keep BJP out of the 30 member Council.

On Monday, Omar addressed various election meetings and rallies at Drass and other places during his daily tour of Kargil where he ridiculed the claims of the ruling dispensation on decimating the National Conference party from Ladakh.

“Contrary to the claims, the NC is speeding towards a meteoric success in the LAHDC election,” he said.

“People of Kargil are not looking at the upcoming council election as just general elections but the people here want to send a message to the entire country along with the local administration that what happened on August 5, 2019 was wrong, undemocratic , unconstitutional and not reflective of their aspirations,” Omar said.

The former chief minister said in his speech that the council elections are still being held on time in Kargil, but in Jammu and Kashmir, no one knows when the elections will be held, whether they will be held or not.
“Having a duly elected government & assembly is a distant thing, we were preparing for panchayat and local body elections and were looking for candidates. They too are lost to view after the union home minister's meeting with the local BJP leaders from J&K.

The reason why BJP is shying away from elections is due to its long dismissed public support in its so called stronghold Jammu plains," he said.

The NC Vice President alleged that the administration in Ladakh was dancing to the tunes of BJP.

Omar said that in order to occupy the council in Kargil, these people are changing the laws in New Delhi, sometimes four seats are being kept for nominations, sometimes eight are specified and sometimes something is being done, but no matter how hard these people try, they will be defeated.

"It will be faced because the people here are really not seeing this election as just a council election, the people here want to send a message not only to the administration but to the whole country that what happened on August 5, 2019, should not happen to him,"he added.

The former CM said that he used to tell the people of Leh time and again that after the removal of Article 370, Leh and Jammu will suffer the most and that is exactly what happened.

"Jobs, contracts and administration, everything is being outsourced in Ladakh, Jammu. Now people want to reverse all these actions with their vote," he said. (UNI)

SRINAGAR: After remaining continuously closed for 11 days, the Srinagar-Kargil highway was thrown open for passenger vehicles on the 12^th day on Thursday.
   The highway was closed on April 16, following snow avalanches along Zojila Pass at several places and fresh accumulation of snow on the road.
   Ladakh-bound passengers were stranded since April 16 while scores of trucks laden with eatables are still parked in Sonamarg.
   An official told news agency Kashmir News Trust that passenger vehicles were allowed to move towards Kargil today. He said light motor vehicles carrying passengers crossed the Zojilla Pass safely today.
  “If weather conditions permit, trucks laden with eatables will also be allowed in a day or two,” the official added. (KNT)

SRINAGAR: Srinagar-Kargil national highway has been closed for vehicular traffic following avalanches that were triggered due to snowfall at various places on the Zojila road on Tuesday, officials said.

“The highway has been closed for vehicular traffic due to avalanches at Panimatha and Kai-pathri areas following snowfall”, he said.
Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway has pressed its men and machinery to clear the highway to make it fit for traffic movement, he added.
"Srinagar Kargil NHW-1 is blocked and traffic halted at Sonamarg due to avalanches at Panimatha and Kai-pathri at Zojila. BRO is on job to clear the road," Kargil police said in a tweet. (UNI)