The Congress has been hit by several exits ahead of the UP polls (Representational)
Veteran Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh and former MP Anand Prakash Gautam, alleging neglect of workers, has resigned today in a setback to the party ahead of the state polls. His resignation comes amid the high-profile exit of RPN Singh from the party today.
Announcing his decision at a press conference last night, Mr Gautam alleged that due to the money and muscle power of prominent leaders in the district, hardworking grass-root workers are being neglected.
Anand Gautam was a two-term member of the Rajya Sabha.
Without naming former MP PL Punia, Anand Gautam alleged that a senior leader of the party is trying to "fix his equations" to ensure his son wins from UP's Jaidpur Assembly constituency and has no time to talk in favour of other candidates.
"Such leaders are neglecting grass-root workers. Disappointed over this, I am resigning from the primary membership of the party," he said.
In his resignation sent to the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president, Mr Gautam said that he was hurt by the chaos at the local level in almost all districts of the state.
Senior Congressmen are being deliberately neglected, he said.
Mr Gautam said that he had tried to meet Priyanka Gandhi Vadra several times and talk to her on phone but the people around her never let him meet her.
When asked if his exit is linked to his son Jayant Gautam's aspiration to contest from the Haidergarh seat, the former MP said there is no such issue.
"In 2012, I sought a ticket from Haidergarh but did not get it. The one who was given the ticket had later left the party," he added.
The seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls will begin next month.