Lucknow, Sep 19 (IANS): In a major setback to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, party vice president and former MLA Lalitesh Pati Tripathi has resigned from the post of vice president.

He has also changed his Twitter and Facebook profile, removing 'Congress' from it.

Tripathi switched off all his mobile phones on Saturday night after he reportedly sent his resignations to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, MP Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu denied having any information about Tripathi's resignation.

Senior Congress leader Ajai Rai said: "He has not left the party to the best of my knowledge. However, those who wish to contest elections have been told to quit their official positions as per directives of the party brass."

Tripathi, 37, is the great grandson of former Chief Minister and former working president All India Congress Committee, Kamla Pati Tripathi.

His father Rajesh Pati Tripathi is a former Congress MLC.

Lalitesh was currently vic -president of Uttar Pradesh Congress and working in the team of Priyanka Gandhi.

As per the sources close to him, he might join the Samajwadi Party very soon.

Lalitesh had attended all the meetings with Priyanka Gandhi during her recent visit to state.

He was also entrusted with the task of building organization at village level in many of the eastern districts.

Lalitesh had won from Marihan Assembly segment in 2012 and had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 parliament elections from Mirzapur.

According to a senior Congress leader, Lalitesh was finding it difficult to adjust himself in the 'new' party structure.

Besides, he said that Lalitesh was in touch with Samajwadi Party leaders since long and was exploring options.

Lalitesh Pati Tripathi is the third senior Congress leader and Gandhi family loyalist to be distancing himself from the party.

Earlier, former MPs Annu Tandon and then Jitin Prasada had quit the party.

While Tandon joined Samajwadi Party, Prasada joined the BJP.