Rabindra Mishra has stepped down as chairman of the Bibeksheel Sajha Party.

Mishra on Wednesday said in a statement that he is resigning as the party chairman following a poor show in the recently held local elections.

“It’s known to all that Bibeksheel Sajha had a disappointing performance in the local elections. I take full responsibility for this and would like to announce my resignation as party chair effective from today,” said Mishra in the statement. “I will continue to be a general member of the party.”

The 55-year-old former BBC journalist made his foray into politics in 2017 with the launch of Sajha Party which he wanted to offer as an alternative force.

Bibeksheel Sajha Party was formed after the merger between Mishra’ Sajha Party and the late Ujwal Thapa’s Bibeksheel Party. The party, however, went through splits and mergers.

The party had filed candidacies in Kathmandu and some other local units.

It has won chair and vice-chair posts in Feta Rural Municipality in Bara district.

“The credit for the victory in Bara’s Feta and its two wards goes to Rustam Ansari, a very popular figure in the area and a distinguished social worker,” he said.

As a BBC journalist, Mishra was a popular figure. However, he failed to cash in on that popularity as a politician.

The party lacked ideology while it tried to seize an opportunity from the failure of established parties.

In July last year, he floated the idea of “nation above notion” which was termed by observers a regressive move, as he demanded abolition of federalism and referendum on secularism.

The party’s Central Committee endorsed Mishra’s proposal amid reservations from a section of the members.

Election results show the people have rejected the party’s line.

Bibeksheel Sajha was also mired in a tussle between Mishra and Milan Pandey, the party’s coordinator.

In December last year, Pandey was expelled from the party.

In his Wednesday statement, Mishra has requested the Central Working Committee and the Central Work Execution Committee to withdraw action taken against leaders including Pandey.