Kargil, May 14 : Mohd Jaffer Akhoon is set to face a floor test in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, after a no-confidence motion was reportedly submitted to the Deputy Commissioner’s office amid a deepening political crisis within the ruling National Conference-Congress coalition.
According to sources, five councillors from the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference have withdrawn support to the CEC, citing differences over the alleged coalition-sharing arrangement between the National Conference and the Indian National Congress regarding the rotational tenure of the Chief Executive Councillor’s post.
Sources said the coalition understanding envisaged the sharing of the CEC position between the two alliance partners for two-and-a-half years each. However, following the completion of the stipulated tenure, disagreements reportedly emerged after Dr Akhoon allegedly declined to step down to facilitate the transfer of leadership to the Congress.
Political negotiations between the alliance partners reportedly failed to produce a consensus, following which the no-confidence motion was submitted before the Deputy Commissioner, Kargil.
Sources further claimed that the five dissident National Conference councillors have extended support to Congress leader Nasir Munshi, who is said to already enjoy the backing of 11 Congress councillors in the Hill Council.
If the support of the dissident councillors remains intact during the proposed floor test, the Congress camp would command the support of 16 councillors in the council, potentially placing the Dr Akhoon-led administration in a minority position.
According to sources, councillors from both the Congress and the National Conference accompanied Nasir Munshi while submitting the no-confidence motion at the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Kargil.
