As the incumbent Chairperson and Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, Mohammad Jaffer Akhoon of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference was preparing to hand over power to the coalition partner in accordance with the post-poll alliance agreement, the Indian National Congress on Thursday moved a no-confidence motion to remove the incumbent chairperson.
Interestingly, 11 Congress councillors were joined by five members of the ruling National Conference in supporting the no-confidence motion against Mohammad Jaffer Akhoon.
The no-confidence resolution, bearing the signatures of 16 councillors — 11 from Congress and five from the National Conference — was submitted to Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, Rakesh Kumar.
The delegation urged that the matter be processed in accordance with the legal framework and democratic procedures laid down in the LAHDC Act.
Responding to the development, Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar assured the delegation that the matter would be processed strictly in accordance with the provisions of the LAHDC Act and the applicable rules.
The delegation was led by Nasir Munshi and comprised councillors from both parties. A total of 16 councillors have extended their support to Nasir Munshi, including 11 from Congress and five from the National Conference.
The development marks a significant political move amid ongoing changes in LAHDC Kargil and is expected to influence the council's evolving political landscape.
Addressing a press conference in Kargil along with the councillors who raised the banner of revolt, Kargil Congress president Asgar Ali Karbalai said that the alliance with the National Conference remains "intact", but the no-confidence motion has been moved to remove the incumbent chairman, Mohammad Jaffer Akhoon.
"As per the agreement, the transfer of power was to take place after two and a half years. According to the alliance pact, the tenure of the incumbent CEC ended on April 18 this year," he said.
"The CEC, Mohammad Jaffer Akhoon, was required to resign and hand over power to Congress. However, despite repeated appeals for a smooth rotational transfer, this has not happened. Now, 11 Congress councillors and five councillors from the National Conference have signed a resolution seeking his removal," Karbalai said.
NC-Congress Post-Poll Alliance
In October 2023, the National Conference emerged as the single largest party with 12 seats, while Congress secured 10 seats in the 26-member elected council. Following the fractured mandate, the two parties formed an alliance with an understanding to rotate power after two and a half years. The Bharatiya Janata Party and independents won two seats each. Four seats reserved for women and minorities are nominated by the government, taking the total strength of the council to 30.
Under the coalition agreement, both parties decided to hold the post of Chief Executive Councillor in rotation. The National Conference was to hold the post for the first two and a half years, followed by Congress for the next two and a half years.
According to the pact, the term of the National Conference's chairperson expired on April 18, and he was expected to hand over the reins of the council to Congress.
The power-sharing agreement was announced by Omar Abdullah, then a senior National Conference leader and now the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Under the arrangement, the National Conference and Congress were to head the Kargil Council for two and a half years each. In the first phase, Dr. Akhoon was elected Chairperson-cum-CEC on October 18, 2023, and completed his term on April 18, 2026.
Akhoon Refuses to Step Down
CEC Kargil Mohammad Jaffer Akhoon has refused to step down despite completing his two-and-a-half-year term, delaying the swearing-in of a Congress nominee as CEC in accordance with the power-sharing agreement reached between the two parties before the formation of the council.
In the 30-member House, the National Conference has 12 seats and Congress 10. The BJP and independents hold two seats each. Four nominated councillors are believed to support the BJP, taking the party's effective strength to six. The majority mark in the council is 16.
Apart from the CEC-cum-Chairperson, there are four Executive Councillors — two each from the National Conference and Congress — who enjoy the status of ministers.
