The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) is a political and social coalition based in the Kargil district of the Union Territory of Ladakh. It is a joint platform that brings together various political parties, religious organizations, and civil society groups from Kargil. The KDA was founded in 2020 following the reorganization of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, which created the Union Territory of Ladakh without a legislative assembly.
The alliance was created to address concerns in Kargil regarding political representation, land rights, employment opportunities, and cultural preservation after the abrogation of Article 370. The KDA's formation was a response to the perceived loss of administrative autonomy and the fear of demographic change and a big industrial push in the sparsely populated, tribal-majority region.
The KDA works by coordinating with the Leh Apex Body (LAB), a similar grouping from the Leh district, to collectively advocate for constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. The key demands of the KDA and LAB are the grant of full statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Inclusion under the Sixth Schedule would safeguard land, employment, and cultural identity by granting a tribal status and autonomy to decide on laws related to these areas. Other demands include the formation of a separate Public Service Commission and two parliamentary seats for Ladakh.
The KDA connects directly to the Leh Apex Body (LAB), with both groups forming a joint core committee to negotiate with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Recently, the KDA and LAB have been engaged in talks with the MHA's High Powered Committee. While the groups have historically demanded statehood and Sixth Schedule status, there has been a recent development in May 2026, where the KDA and LAB reached an "in-principle understanding" with the Centre on providing constitutional safeguards on the lines of Article 371 A, F, and G and creating a Union Territory-level elected body with legislative, executive, and financial powers. This signals a potential shift from the non-negotiable demand for the Sixth Schedule, though the KDA co-chairman, Asgar Ali Karbalai, had previously rejected the Centre's proposed "council model" in February 2026.