Kavinder Gupta resigned as the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh on Thursday, ending a tenure of less than nine months. Gupta had taken oath on July 18, 2025, becoming the Union Territory's third Lieutenant Governor and the first politician to hold the post.
His resignation comes just weeks before completing one year in office, The Times of India reported. Gupta succeeded Brigadier BD Mishra, who had assumed the role in February 2024 after the tenure of Ladakh's first Lieutenant Governor, R K Mathur, following the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
At the time of his oath-taking, Gupta had said he would work "unitedly for the development of Ladakh." After his appointment in July last year, he also expressed gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and BJP workers, Hindustan Times reported.
Political unrest during tenure
Gupta's tenure coincided with rising political unrest in Ladakh. Civil society groups and regional organisations have been staging protests for several months.
Groups such as the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance have been demanding statehood for Ladakh. They have also called for the implementation of Sixth Schedule protections and the reservation of government jobs for locals.
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Large demonstrations and youth-led protests were reported in the Union Territory during this period, highlighting concerns over political representation and economic opportunities, according to HT.
Political career and background
A veteran BJP leader from Jammu's Janipur area, Gupta began his public life as a worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Over the years, he held several key political positions, HT reported.
He served as the last Deputy Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, he was also the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
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Gupta had also served three consecutive terms as the Mayor of Jammu. In the 2014 Assembly elections, he contested from the Gandhi Nagar constituency in Jammu city, considered a Congress stronghold, and defeated senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla.
Separately, West Bengal Governor Dr. CV Ananda Bose also resigned from his post earlier on Thursday and submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu.
