Raj Babbar has not resigned as party's UP chief: Congress

Reports suggested that Raj Babbar had resigned as the party chief in Uttar Pradesh after the poor performance of the Congress in the recent Lok Sabha bypolls to Gorakhpur and Phulpur.

NEW DELHI: Amid reports that Raj Babbar has resigned from his post as Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, the party has claimed that there has been no resignation. "I want to clear the issue. Raj Babbar has not resigned from his post of Uttar Pradesh Congress President," Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said. 

Earlier in the day, Raj Babbar had denied commenting on his resignation and had said that he will speak to party President Rahul Gandhi about the issue. Reports suggested that he had resigned as the party chief in Uttar Pradesh after the poor performance of the Congress in the recent Lok Sabha bypolls to Gorakhpur and Phulpur. 

Refraining to comment on his resignation, Babbar said: "New arrangements are being worked out in the Congress, whatever new positions will be given by Party President, we will take them up and work towards 2019."

His resignation comes ahead of Rahul Gandhi's announcement of his new team. He was authorised to nominate the Congress Working Committee (CWC) at the party's plenary in Delhi last week. Several other top leaders are also expected to quit in the days to come.  

Reports of his resignation have come ahead of Rahul Gandhi's announcement of his new team. He was authorised to nominate the Congress Working Committee (CWC) at the party's plenary in Delhi last week. Several other top leaders are also expected to quit in the days to come.  

Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki is also believed to have tendered his resignation to the central leadership of the party. Earlier on Monday, Goa Congress president Shantaram Naik too resigned from his post saying he was "inspired" by Rahul Gandhi's speech at the party plenary about making way for younger leaders.

The resignations reaffirm the nervousness in the old guard of the party after Rahul formally took over as Congress chief. The senior leaders had been speaking of a possible generational shift and the proposed reforms in the organisational structure even before he took over as the party president.