 Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 21: The Congress’s bid to gain political mileage from the ongoing agitation in Ladakh ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections has suffered a blow, as party leader Nawang Rigzin Jora has been excluded from the delegation invited for dialogue with the Centre.
Notably, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk — who has been on a 35-day hunger strike — has also been kept out of the talks. In their place, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) has inducted a local advocate, Thingles Angmo, in a bid to give the agitation a “non-political colour.”
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has scheduled the next round of discussions with Ladakhi representatives on October 6, 2025, at Kartavya Bhawan in New Delhi. The talks will be held under the High-Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh. The last meeting was convened on May 27, during which issues related to domicile and reservations were settled.
After months of deadlock, the Centre’s fresh invitation comes days after veteran leader Thupstan Chhewang announced his Cong leader Nawang Rigzin Jora has been excluded from the delegation invited for dialogue with the Centre.
The climate activist Sonam Wangchuk — who has been on a 35-day hunger strike — has also been kept out of the talks.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) has inducted a local advocate, Thingles Angmo, in a bid to give the agitation a “non-political colour.”
The MHA has scheduled the next round of discussions with Ladakhi representatives on October 6.
Just last week, LAB had decided to remove political leaders from its negotiating team following internal criticism from youth leaders and members concerned about undue political influence. Chhewang will now head the delegation, which comprises non-political members.
Meanwhile, Sonam Wangchuk’s exclusion has raised eyebrows. The Union Territory administration recently cancelled over 1,000 kanals of land allotted to his Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), citing violations including failure to finalize the lease agreement and non-payment of dues. While Wangchuk’s fast has drawn public sympathy, several senior leaders argue that dialogue with the government is the only sustainable way forward.
The October 6 talks are expected to focus on pending demands, including statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, and enhanced job and land protections. | 