Facing no-trust vote, Akhoon gets support of 20 in House of 30

Sidelined Cong stays away from proceedings

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, July 14: In a strange and unexpected development, the National Conference and BJP have joined hands in Kargil Autonomous Hill Development Council to get the annual budget approved as Congress stayed away from proceedings of the House dropping indications that over two and half years long NC-Congress alliance in the Council may well be over.

With 16 Councilors including nine from Congress, five from NC and two Independents having moved no-confidence motion against Kargil Council Chairman Dr Mohammad Jaffar Akhoon in May for his refusal to quit to pave way for Congress to form the local City Government as per power-sharing agreement between the two parties, the budget for the year 2026-27 was stalled hampering developmental works in Kargil district.

Sources told the Media that the Council was convened for passing of the budget by the Deputy Commissioner Kargil, who acts as the CEO, and all 12 NC Councilors, including five who were signatories to no-confidence motion against Dr Akhoon, came to the House and together with six BJP Councilors, one from Congress and another Independent, totaling 20, got the budget approved.

Sidelined by new political development, nine Congress Councilors and an Independent stayed away from proceedings of the House.

Dr Akhoon told the Media after the meeting that the budget has been approved. All 12 NC Councilors, joined by six from BJP and one each from Congress and Independent, were present in the House and voted for the budget which was to the tune of Rs 255 crore. In the Revised Estimates, he said, the budget is expected to go up to around Rs 330 crore.

``Now, where is the no-confidence motion? They (the Congress and others) had claimed support of 16 Councilors while moving no-trust vote against me but 20 voted in favour of the budget in the House,'' the Chairman-cum-CEC of the Council said, adding the no-confidence motion has now lost relevance as 20 Councilors have extended their support in the House.

There are 30 members in the Hill Development Council (26 elected and four nominated). The nominated Councilors too have the voting rights.

Political observers believed that the Congress game may well be over as Dr Akhoon has displayed support of 20 Councilors, four more than the majority-mark.

Dr Akhoon said he will shortly be announcing two Executive Councilors as these posts are lying vacant following resignations tendered by the Congress members. A Council can have four Executive Councilors, who enjoy the powers of Deputy Minister. The Congress Councilors had resigned after the party moved no-confidence motion.

Nassir Munshi, Congress candidate for the CEC-cum-Chairman's post in the Kargil Council, who was leading the campaign for Dr Akhoon's removal and formation of the Congress Government in Kargil, wasn't available for comments on the new political equation emerging in the district with NC joining hands with the BJP to keep Congress out of power.

As per the power-sharing agreement reached between NC and Congress before Hill Council elections i.e. the pre-polls alliance in presence of no less a person than J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah (then the senior NC leader), both parties had to hold the post of Chairman-cum-CEC for two and half years each. The first term went to the NC and Dr Akhoon was elected as the Chairman. Congress had to hold the post of Chairman-cum-CEC for rest of two and half years with Nassir Munshi tipped to head the Council.

The Council was formed on October 18, 2023. Dr Akhoon completed his two and half years term as the CEC-cum-chairperson of the Council on April 18, 2026 but refused to resign on the ground that five new districts have been formed in Ladakh including two carved out of Kargil district.

However, crisis gripped the Kargil Council on May 14 after a total of 16 Councilors signed the no-confidence motion against Dr Akhoon, which is majority in the Council of 30 members. They include nine from Congress, five from NC and two Independents. In the Council, NC has 12 Councilors, Congress 10 and BJP six (two elected plus four nominated) besides there are two Independents.

Only yesterday, the UT administration in Ladakh announced that all seven districts in Ladakh will have Autonomous Hill Development Councils like Leh and Kargil. Five new districts were made operational in April this year. However, only Kargil has the Council as Leh Council completed five-year-term in October 2025 and elections to it were not held due to creation of new districts.

Three new districts were carved out of Leh and two from Kargil.