NC Kargil Unit Plunges Deeper Into Turmoil as Senior Leader Faces Expulsion

SRINAGAR: The political crisis within the National Conference (NC) in Kargil has intensified sharply with the expulsion of one of its most prominent local leaders.

On Saturday, party general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar ordered the removal of Dr. Mohammad Jaffer Akhoon, the Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, from the basic membership of the party for six years.

According to a party spokesperson, the disciplinary action was taken due to Akhoon’s “anti‑party activities” and his role in “causing indiscipline within the party.” The move comes at a moment when the NC’s local unit in Kargil has already drawn attention for aligning with the BJP during a recent council vote — a development that underscored the growing rift between the party’s central leadership and its Kargil-based functionaries.

At the heart of Akhoon’s expulsion lies the collapse of a carefully negotiated rotational power‑sharing agreement between the NC and the Congress. After the October 2023 LAHDC Kargil elections, the two parties formed a coalition governance, pooling their 12 (NC) and 10 (Congress) seats. They signed a written pact stipulating that the CEC position would rotate every 2.5 years. NC would hold the post first, followed by Congress. Akhoon, as NC’s nominee, assumed office under this arrangement — and was expected to step down on April 18 this year.

However, when the time came, Akhoon refused to vacate the chair. He justified his decision by citing the “extraordinary situation” in Ladakh and the need for continuity in governance, but his refusal directly violated the coalition agreement and defied explicit instructions from the NC leadership. His silence on party directives and his unwillingness to honour the pact triggered immediate political turbulence.

The Congress responded by moving a no‑confidence motion in May, backed not only by its own councillors but also by five dissident NC members. This rebellion exposed deep internal fractures within the NC’s Kargil unit, revealing that Akhoon’s influence extended beyond party lines and that he had successfully cultivated support among councillors who were expected to oppose him.

In a dramatic turn, Akhoon consolidated an alternative majority by securing support from BJP councillors, several NC dissidents, some Congress members, and independents. With this cross‑party backing, he managed to pass the council budget with 20 out of 30 votes, effectively neutralising Congress’s attempt to unseat him and demonstrating that he could command the council even without the formal backing of his own party.

For the NC leadership, this was the final breach. Akhoon’s refusal to honour the rotational pact, his defiance of party instructions, and his willingness to align with the BJP — a party that NC opposes ideologically and electorally — were seen as clear acts of anti‑party behaviour. His manoeuvres were interpreted as undermining party unity, violating coalition commitments, and fostering indiscipline within NC ranks. Consequently, Sagar issued the order expelling him from the party for six years.