SRINAGAR: A power tussle within the Udhampur’s Panthers Party led to the resignation of Balwant Singh Mankota to resign from his uncle’s party. Mankotia, a two-time lawmaker, was the president of the party for over a decade and was re-elected to the position, recently.

Balwant Singh Mankotia

“I am giving this bad news to you colleagues that I am resigning from all the party positions and responsibilities,” Mankotia said in a brief video posted on his Facebook page. “The situation is like this that if I do not reign – not the party issues alone but the family issues will come out on the road and (in the) media.”

Mankotia regretted that he had to take the decision in haste. “I am sorry, I do not have much time,” he said. He thanked party founder Bhim Singh for re-electing him as the president of the party, a position, he said, he is not in a position to continue. Mankota asked Bhim Singh that he must trust Harsh Dev Singh who has the “strength and the interest” in running the party.

Mankotia ended his social media announcement with an appeal to his colleagues and friends to attend the February 11 meeting in which they will decide the future course of action.

The Singh family of Udhampur (L to R)Harsh Dev Singh, Bhim Singh and Balwant Singh Mankotia. The tensions within led to Mankotia’s resignation.

Party founder Prof Bhim Singh, former minister, Harshdev Singh, who is the party chairman and Mankotia belong to the same family.

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