Ratnakar Mahajan resigns from NCP

Senior NCP leader Ratnakar Mahajan, who had demanded that the Sharad Pawar-led party merge with Congress, has resigned from the party.

"I have resigned from the primary membership of NCP as it became impossible to continue in the organisation after the vindictive criticism against me following my suggestion for merger," Mahajan said here today.

Mahajan said he sent the resignation letter to Pawar on July 21.

"I decided to quit the party as instead of positive reaction to my suggestion, I was met with negative reaction and a vindictive diatribe against me," said Mahajan, who has been with NCP since it was formed in 1999.