Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ashish Deshmukh on Tuesday resigned from the state Legislative Assembly as well as from the primary membership of the party, reported PTI. Deskhmukh, who supports the creation of a separate Vidarbha state, said the BJP’s “divisive vote-bank politics” led him to quit the party.

“The situation of farmers and the youth has worsened in the last four years but the government is indulging only in the politics of vote-bank for wining elections and dividing the nation,” said the MLA who represents Katol constituency in Nagpur district. “As the BJP has been ignoring the people of India, I am tendering my resignation as an MLA and a member of the BJP.”

Deshmukh will meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi later on Tuesday and is expected to join the party. Gandhi is in Wardha to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee.

Deshmukh, the son of former president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Ranjeet Deshmukh, will meet Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde on Wednesday to submit his resignation.