Nepal’s Ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyay resigned from his post on Friday to contest the upcoming federal parliamentary elections from Kapilvastu.

Upadhyay confirmed that he submitted his resignation to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara.

He would continue as the Nepali ambassador to India until his resignation is approved.

He has cited some “social reasons” for quitting the job even as he expressed his desire earlier to make a comeback in politics.

Upadhyay refused to comment on his plans saying that his resignation was yet to be approved by the Cabinet.

Before flying to Kathmandu on Thursday, the envoy met External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi on Wednesday to inform her about his possible resignation.

A former minister, Upadhyay has served twice as Nepal’s ambassador to New Delhi. Appointed from the Nepali Congress quota by the Sushil Koirala-led government in April 2015, Upadhyay was recalled by the government headed by CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli in May, 2016 on the charge of working against the regime. He was reinstated by the subsequent government led by CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal in September, 2016.

“Once the Cabinet approves my resignation, I will visit New Delhi for a farewell call,” he said.