The cracks that have been building up in the CTA became visible when Lobsang Sangay publicly clashed with Penpa Tsering (ex-Speaker of the CTA and also Sangay’s main rival for the 2016 Sikyong elections) after the latter raised questions about financial irregularities in North America’s Tibet House whilst under the charge of its previous administrator, Kaydor

Aukatsang. As an appointee of Lobsang Sangay, it was understood that Aukatsang only took instructions from Lobsang Sangay, who appears to have circumvented proper protocols. Penpa Tsering was unceremoniously sacked on what he regarded as trumped-up charges and has since filed a suit against Lobsang Sangay for defamation in the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission. The rivalry that has been building up between Lobsang Sangay and Penpa Tsering has now become acrimonious with a lot of bad blood continuing to accumulate.

Like in the early years, we all knew as a firestorm continues to brew over the Sangay-Tsering estrangement, signs are that the fallout from their confrontation will be more severe than anticipated. We know this when ambitious politicians like Dhardon Sharling suddenly decamps the CTA like a rat fleeing a sinking ship. On 12th December 2018, Dhardon Sharling announced her resignation from her somewhat vaguely formulated designation of ‘Secretary equivalent’ of the CTA’s Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR). Dhardon Sharling is regarded as Lobsang Sangay’s lieutenant and her official title was literally created by Sangay to keep Sharling in his administration after she was voted out by the Tibetan parliament-in-exile as a Minister in the Cabinet for having misled the government on an age prerequisite. Dhardon Sharling cited an interest to further her studies in the US being the reason for her to suddenly relinquish her post. But the rumor is that she has been manoeuvring to escape being caught in the middle of Lobsang Sangay and Penpa Tsering’s looming showdown.