Ladakh talks back on track as ABL drops political reps
Talks between the Central government and Ladakh's Apex Body, Leh (ABL) are finally getting back on track.
This time, ABL agreed to leave out political reps from their team, aiming for a more neutral approach.
Thupstan Chhewang is back as the lead negotiator after stepping down earlier over political disagreements.
The last round of talks had stalled because of clashes over who should represent Ladakh.
Sticking points in last round of talks
A major sticking point was a May 2025 policy offering 85% job reservations for locals and one-third council seats for women in Ladakh.
With local council elections coming up, things got even more complicated.
Now that ABL is keeping politics out of its team, both sides seem ready to give talks another shot—even as activist Sonam Wangchuk continues his hunger strike demanding statehood for Ladakh.