Tripura Congress chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarman on Tuesday announced that he had resigned from the party. He told IANS that he had sent an email to central party leaders and would submit a formal resignation letter after the bye-election process for Badharghat Assembly constituency concludes.

The bye-election took place on Monday and votes will be counted on Friday.

In a social media post, Debbarman wrote: “Woke up today after a long time feeling relaxed. I start this day without having to listen to criminals and liars. Not having to worry about which colleague will backstab [you], not having to indulge in groupism and backchat. Not having to listen to ‘High Command’ on how to accommodate corrupt people in high positions.”

Debbarman said he had tried to stop “wrong elements” from getting party posts as it would have destroyed the state. “I tried and perhaps I lost but then how could I win when I was alone in this fight from the beginning?” he wrote. Debbarman added that he could now contribute to the state with a “clear and honest mind”.

The 41-year-old Debbarman is the sole heir to the 800-year-old Manikya dynasty and the founding editor of The Northeast Today.

Congress presidents of some other state units have also resigned since the party’s dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections in May. Ajoy Kumar, the Jharkhand unit chief, resigned in August, accusing state leaders of pushing to get election tickets for their children, and of having goals such as getting power, selling tickets and accumulating money in the name of elections. He joined the Aam Aadmi Party earlier this month.

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