Ahead of scheduled talks between Ladakh leaders and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) later this week, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) — one of the two key groups representing Ladakh in dialogue with the Centre — is facing an internal crisis, with its founding chairman and veteran Ladakhi leader Thupstan Chhewang now at odds with the organisation’s leadership.
Earlier this month, the Apex Body said “differences of opinion” had emerged in recent months between Chhewang and other members during high-level meetings with the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The body subsequently accepted Chhewang’s resignation, which he had submitted in July last year.
However, the matter has now escalated, with Chhewang publicly raising concerns over the functioning of the Apex Body. Questioning how he could be removed from the organisation without wider consultation, Chhewang also claimed that the ongoing dialogue with the Central government had reached a dead end.
LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakruk, however, alleged that Chhewang appeared to be advocating acceptance of the Centre’s proposals. “He is saying the same thing that the government is saying,” Lakruk told The Tribune, adding that the Apex Body would continue to pursue its core demands without any compromise.
Lakruk said differences between Chhewang and the leadership deepened further after the former objected to the Apex Body raising concerns over the recent restructuring of the power sector in Ladakh.
The power sector issue — which critics allege amounts to privatisation — marked the first major confrontation between the administration and Ladakh’s representative groups since Vinai Kumar Saxena assumed office as Lieutenant Governor in March. Both the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the region’s two influential socio-political formations, had expressed strong reservations over the proposal.
Sajad Kargili, co-chairman of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, maintained that ties between LAB and KDA remained intact despite the developments. “There are some differences between the Apex Body and Thupstan ji. We expect that they will resolve the matter mutually soon,” he told The Tribune.
The confrontation between Chhewang and the Apex Body leadership has triggered concern among many residents, who fear that internal divisions could weaken Ladakh’s broader political movement.
“I would stand with the leader who genuinely supports the demand for Sixth Schedule safeguards and statehood, for which the people of Ladakh have been striving since 2021,” said a local resident. He added that anyone who compromises on these core demands should be held accountable before the people.
Meanwhile, uncertainty also persists over the scheduled subcommittee talks, as leaders are yet to receive a formal invitation for the meeting announced earlier by L-G VK Saxena.
