SRINAGAR: Ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Leh polls in Ladakh Union Territory, the BJP has suffered setback in the cold desert as over 300 workers including two former councilors and some core members have resigned from the party.The saffron party has dropped some former councilors and given tickets to new faces for the LAHDC-Leh polls which would be held in 26 seats on October 16. It has angered the workers and former councilors, who have been left out.
The BJP’s former councilor from Saspol constituency Tsering Angdus announced his resignation a few days back. Another former BJP councilor Lobzang Nyantak also quit the party. The LADHC-Leh comprises 30 members – 26 elected and four nominated. In the outgoing LAHDC-Leh, BJP had 18 councillors.
Among those who resigned from the party includes BJP vice president Leh Sonam Ponchuk Wanla
In his resignation letter, Sonam wrote, “I have found working for BJP a matter of great pride and endless satisfaction for myself. However, I am finding it difficult to reconcile with the current functioning of the party.”
Two more senior party members Manzoor Hussain and Mumtaz Hussain also resigned to protest alleged favoritism in allotment of tickets for the council polls. “The party did not choose right candidates from some constituencies and resorted to favouritism. We cannot support those candidates and have decided to quit the party,” they wrote in their resignation letter.The BJP’s core member in Ladakh Syeda Ladakhi, who was a nominated councilor in the outgoing LAHDC Leh has also resigned from the party.