Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar on Friday resigned as vice president of the Goa Olympic Association (GOA) following a war of words with state Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar over hosting of the National Games.
The Congress leader said he had put in his papers accepting the 'challenge' thrown by Ajgaonkar.
The minister had claimed that his exit from the GOA will help in smoother organisation of the National Games, Chodankar alleged.
Chodankar had earlier criticized Ajgaonkar for postponing the Games' dates multiple times.
The BJP-led Goa government has also earned the ire of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for delays in hosting the Games.
"In response to the public appeal made by... Ajgaonkar, I tender my resignation from the post of Vice President of Goa Olympic Association," Chodankar said in the resignation letter.
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"The above decision is taken in view of the demand made by the Sports Minister that my resignation will help the Government to smoothly organise the National Games in 2020," he added.
"Failure to organise National Games in time... repeatedly begging with Indian Olympic Association for postponement, has brought bad repute to the state," he said.
"In view of the above, I hope that...Ajgaonkar too will resign as Sports Minister and liberate Department of Sports and Youth Affairs from Irregularities, Gross Corruption and Nepotism," the Congress leader added.
The much-delayed 36th National Games will be held in Goa from October 20 to November 4 next year, the IOA announced in New Delhi on Saturday.