More than a week after speculation began on his future plans, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday resigned from the Lok Sabha.
There had been debate on whether Akhilesh would continue as the MP for Azamgarh to coordinate with other anti-BJP parties for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections or lay the groundwork for the 2027 assembly polls by staying on in UP as MLA for Karhal. Akhilesh had fought his first assembly poll this year.
Akhilesh handed over his resignation to Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday.
Given the SP's rise as the main opposition party, media reports had said party activists were keen that Akhilesh stay on in the assembly to challenge the Yogi Adityanath government.
Following the Samajwadi Party's failure to unseat Yogi, some observers had blamed Akhilesh for being aloof through most of the BJP government's tenure and not taking up major public issues strongly.
