Amaravati, April 5 : In another setback to Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress ahead of next month's Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, its Member of Legislative Council Shaikh Mohammed Iqbal resigned from the party on Friday.

The retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer sent his resignation from the primary membership of the YSR Congress Party to Chief Minister and party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, saying that he was quitting on personal grounds.

He also resigned as a member of the Legislative Council. His term was to end in March 2027.

The former Inspector General of Police, Rayalaseema Range, joined the YSRCP in 2018. He contested unsuccessfully as YSRCP candidate against actor and TDP leader Balakrishna in the Hindupur constituency.

After the YSRCP came to power in 2019, Iqbal was made MLC. He was reportedly unhappy over YSRCP's choice of Tippegowda Narayan Deepika as the party candidate from Hindupur.

Hailing from Kurnool district, Iqbal held several key positions in the police department in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He had served as the Chief Security Officer to N. Chandrababu Naidu in his first term as Chief Minister between 1995 and 2000. After retirement in 2018, he joined the YSRCP.

/IANS