![In Sangli, BJP's tally rose from four in the previous election to 40 this time [Representative image | Salil Bera]](https://img.theweek.in/content/dam/week/news/india/images/2018/8/3/bjp-flag-3818.jpg "In Sangli, BJP's tally rose from four in the previous election to 40 this time [Representative image | Salil Bera]")
In a surprise development, the Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Ladakh, Thupstan Chhewang, resigned from the party.
“I have to inform you that I am resigning from the primary membership of Bharatiya Janata Party with immediate effect,” Chewwang wrote in his letter to BJP state president Ravinder Raina. “I am also writing separately to the speaker Lok Sabha of resigning as MP from Ladakh parliamentary constituency,” he added.
Raina confirmed Chhhewang has resigned from the party but said he was not joining any other party.
“He had informed me that he was quitting from politics to pursue spiritualism,” Raina told THE WEEK. “He had been telling for some time that due to health issues he wants to leave politics.”
Raina said Chhewang wants to follow Dalai Lama's teachings and spirituality.
Chhewang had provided BJP a big win in Ladakh against Congress though he won by a wafer-thin margin.
His resignation could pose problems for the party in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the region.
The BJP performed poorly in the recently held elections in the Buddhist majority Leh district where Congress made a clean sweep while in Kargil National Conference made gains followed by PDP.
Jammu and Kashmir have six Lok Sabha seats, three in Kashmir valley, two in Jammu and one in Ladakh. The state also sends four MPs to the Rajya Sabha.
