Economist and former National Planning Commission vice chairman Swarnim Wagle on Thursday announced quitting the Nepali Congress.

In a message addressed to Congress leaders including General Secretary duo Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, Wagle said he could not stay in the party due to continuous ‘insults and humiliations from Deuba-Arzu gang’.

He was referring to the behaviour of Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Arzu Rana Deuba.

He sent the same message to senior leader Shekhar Koirala and another Congress leader Govind Raj Pokharel.

Despite your [the four leaders] great generosity, I cannot remain in the Congress now, said Wagle.

“We hope that we will get connected again in some ways the day when you have a decisive role in the party. Until then, I promise to cooperate and maintain the present intimate friendship,” said Wagle.

In a social media post, Wagle said he made a significant contribution to economic policy and planning, intellectual-theoretical discourse and training and the expansion of international legitimacy being associated with the party indirectly for 30 years and directly for the past 10 years.

He was the aspirant from Congress in the last year’s polls.

However, Wagle, who was a member of the manifesto drafting committee of the party, was denied an election ticket.

It is reported that the Rastriya Swatantra Party has offered Wagle a ticket to contest the by-election from Tanahun-1.