In Ladakh, BJP faces leadership crisis

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 6

Ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled next year, the BJP is facing a “leadership crisis” in the Ladakh region as all attempts of party leaders to mollify the “angry” lone Lok Sabha member from the region, Thupstan Chhewang, have failed to yield any positive results.

Chhewang, who was the face of the BJP in Ladakh, had resigned from the saffron party’s primary membership and as a Lok Sabha member on November 14 to express his resentment for “exhibiting little concern for implementing the categorical assurance given during the 2014 elections that the demand of the UT status for the Ladakh region would be met within six months.”

BJP insiders told The Tribune that the party high command had sought the names of probables from Ladakh for the next Lok Sabha elections about three months ago.

“The Ladakh unit had unanimously forwarded the name of Chhewang only. The party did not find any matching leader against him,” the insiders said.

“No doubt, we are facing a political crisis in the region as it has become difficult for the BJP to find a leader of stature of Chhewang, who has reportedly refused to return to the party fold,” said a senior BJP leader in Ladakh.

Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Chief Executive Councillor of the Leh Council, however, refused to comment on the controversy surrounding Chhewang’s resignation, but he added, “We we will continue to work under his (Chhewang) guidance”.

Party fails to mollify Thupstan Chhewang

• All attempts of BJP leaders to mollify the “angry” lone Lok Sabha member from the region, Thupstan Chhewang, have failed to yield any positive results.
• Chhewang resigned from the BJP’s primary membership and as a Lok Sabha member on November 14