Senior Cong leader Siraj Mehendi on Akhilesh's steps, resign

Lucknow, May 9 (UNI) After resignation of Rajya Sabha member Akhilesh Das, early this week, Senior Congress leader and former legislator Siraj Mehendi today resigned from the primary membership of the party alleging neglect by the leadership.

Mr Mehendi, who was the vice-president of the UP Congress, said he had sent his resignation to party president Sonia Gandhi.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Mehendi alleged that the leadership had ignored the genuine problems of the workers and only a handful of leaders were "misguiding" Ms Gandhi.

''The present Congress state president Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi is backstabing the party and trying that the leadership does not meet the workers,'' he alleged in his two-page resignation letter.

The leader said he was frustrated due to the ignorance of the leadership and hence decided to part ways.

Denying that his resignation was in support of Akhilesh Das' move, he said the resignation of the RS member was also due to ignorance by the party. The resignation letter also described the same allegation, which was given by Mr Das.

He, however, said future step would be announced only after consideration of all aspects.

Mr Mehendi is said to be a close confidant of Mr Das and he was the only senior Congress leader to openly support the latter after his resignation on Monday.

Meanwhile, 12 Congress corporators in the Lucknow corporation, who were in support of Mr Das, had also resigned from the party yesterday.

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