Amid electioneering for the prestigious Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Ladakh tour was extended till August 25.
Earlier it was announced that Rahul Gandhi will stay in Ladakh only for two days on August 17 and 18 but Congress sources said that he (Rahul) will stay till August 25.
Rahul Gandhi will be celebrating his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's birthday on August 20 at Pangong Lake.
Rahul Gandhi who reached Leh on Thursday was accorded a warm welcome from the Ladakh Congress leaders and workers.
The Congress leader arrived at Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport on Thursday afternoon when he was given a warm welcome by Congress leaders and activists of the Ladakh Congress Committee and Youth Congress besides other wings of the party.
A large crowd had gathered outside the airport to catch a glimpse of the leader who during his Bharat Jodo Yatra was unable to visit Ladakh. He had announced during the Bharat Jodo Yatra he would soon visit Leh.
Rahul met senior leaders at the Airport and later left for the hotel.
Rahul's first visit to Ladakh after the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of J&K into two UTs
This is Rahul Gandhi's first visit to Ladakh since the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories, Ladakh and Jammu, and Kashmir, following the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 (A) on August 5, 2019.
He is also slated to visit the Kargil Memorial during his stay and will take part in an interaction with the youth.
During the "Bharat Jodo Yatra", Rahul had given enough time to Jammu and Kashmir travelling from Lakhanpur to Srinagar but hadn't visited the Union Territory of Ladakh then.
Likely to review party's preparations for LAHDC Kargil elections
Sources said that Rahul Gandhi will take part in the meeting of the Kargil to review preparations for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) - Kargil elections to be held on September 10.
Congress and National Conference have entered into a pre-poll alliance against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Kargil council polls scheduled to be held on September 10.
As reported earlier the pre-poll arrangement would convert into a post-poll alliance and there would be a 50/50 power-sharing formula between both the parties in the council.
On the 26 seats of the LAHDC Kargil, National Conference and Congress will field 13 candidates each.
In the last LAHDC Kargil elections held in 2018, the National Conference won 10 seats followed by eight seats by Congress. PDP had won two seats and BJP one while there were five Independents.
