Member secretary of National Sports Council (NSC) Jeevan Ram Shrestha has resigned from his post Thursday.

Shrestha resigned from the post after Minister for Youth and Sports Ganesh Nepali persuaded him to do so.

I have tendered my resignation this morning, Shrestha told a press conference organised at NSC office Thursday afternoon. I decided to quit to create a conducive working environment for the new administration under the new sports minister, he added.

Earlier, sports minister Nepali, who represents the Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) in the government, had called Shrestha and asked him to resign. Shrestha is a member of CPN (UML).

Shrestha was appointed NSC member secretary for a period of four years in June 2006. There is still almost a year before his term ends.

Shrestha is also the president of Nepal Ski Association and general secretary of Nepal Olympic Committee.

Whether or not other members of the NSC will be changed is not clear. Shrestha said, he is resigning alone and other members would continue their work. However, minister Nepali had announced earlier the entire panel of the NSC would be changed. nepalnews.com