July 7, 2025
JAMMU – In a significant political development, senior Ladakhi leader Thupstan Chhewang has resigned as Chairman and member of the Apex Body, as well as from the High-Powered Committee (HPC) constituted to negotiate constitutional safeguards for Ladakh with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Chhewang, a widely respected figure across Leh and Kargil, said he preferred to stay away from “competing interests” and reiterated his decision to remain out of electoral politics.
“In keeping with this stance, I hereby resign as Chairman and member of the Apex Body, as well as from the HPC. I prefer not to be entangled in competing interests,” he said in a statement.
His resignation comes at a crucial stage in the ongoing demand for Sixth Schedule status and constitutional protections for Ladakh. Chhewang thanked members of the Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) for their support during his tenure.
The move has raised concerns about unity among Ladakh’s leadership, with negotiations reportedly entering a sensitive phase.
Adding to the uncertainty, Congress leader and president of the Ladakh Territorial Congress Committee, Nawang Rigzin Jora, also stepped down from the HPC and the Apex Body’s sub-committee. In a letter, Jora stated that the Congress would continue to support the broader goals of statehood and the Sixth Schedule, while opposing any dilution.
The twin resignations have triggered unease across Ladakh, with many viewing them as a setback to the hard-earned regional consensus forged after the 2019 reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir, when Ladakh became a separate Union Territory.