The BJP has been embroiled in a controversy in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti ahead of the Panchayati Raj elections, following claims that 71 party workers have collectively resigned from their organisational posts and primary membership.
The resignation letters, addressed to state BJP chief Rajeev Bindal, reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the functioning of district BJP president Rigzin Samphel Heyreppa. The workers alleged that long-serving party members were being ignored while newcomers and former Congress leaders were being given preference within the organisation. The resigning members claimed that dedicated BJP workers had been sidelined for years, leading to growing resentment among the cadre.
According to the allegations, Heyreppa had contested the 2021 Panchayat elections from the Kolong Zila Parishad ward as an Independent candidate against the BJP’s official nominee while serving as district vice-president, yet no disciplinary action was taken against him. In contrast, workers such as Sanjeev Kumar from the Sissu ward and Tashi Sonam from the Kolong ward were allegedly expelled for contesting the ongoing Panchayat elections as Independents.
The workers further alleged that the district BJP chief had supported the Congress during the 2012 Assembly elections, raising questions over his leadership credentials. However, the authenticity of the purported mass resignation has come under scrutiny. Several resignation letters circulating on social media reportedly lacked contact details, party identification numbers and other supporting information.
When contacted, some individuals whose names appeared on the letters, including Umesh Kumar, president of the ST Morcha Kelong Mandal, Ankush Kumar, Pawan Kumar, Ujwal, Kalpana Devi and Rajan Thakur, said they remained active BJP members but expressed dissatisfaction with the functioning of the district leadership.
Responding to the allegations, Heyreppa dismissed the resignation letters as “fake” and alleged that they had been prepared by a single individual to mislead the public ahead of the Panchayati Raj elections. He further claimed that those behind the campaign were supporters of former minister Ram Lal Markanda and asserted that disciplinary action against Sanjeev Kumar was taken because he was contesting against the BJP’s officially authorised candidate with the support of the expelled former minister.
