Raj Babbar resigns as UP Congress chief after party's worst-ever performance in Lok Sabha bypolls

Raj Babbar on Wednesday resigned from the post of Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, a party source said. 

The development comes after the Congress’ worst performance in recent Lok Sabha bypolls to Gorakhpur and Phulpur.

The two seats hold importance in state politics and the bypolls there were necessitated after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath resigned from his Gorakhpur seat to form BJP government in the state, and Phulpur representative Keshav Prasad Maurya stepped down to take the post of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister. 

Earlier on Monday, Goa Congress President Shantaram Naik resigned from his post.

Sources said there were four front-runners for the key post, but the party was likely to project a Brahmin face to counter BJP’s moves to consolidate non-Yadav OBC and non-Jatav dalit vote bank.

(With inputs from ANI)