In a big setback for the BJP ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat polls, Thupstan Chhewang, its MP from Ladakh, has resigned his membership of the party and from his Lok Sabha seat, citing health reasons. Chhewang wrote a resignation letter to state BJP president Ravinder Raina, announcing his decision. While Chhewang could not be contacted, sources said he was not happy with the state BJP leadership for not taking him on board with respect to party affairs concerning Ladakh. As a result, he did not campaign for the party’s candidates in the recently concluded urban local body elections in Ladakh, in which BJP failed to open its account in both the Leh and Kargil municipal committees.
