Milind Deora resigned from Indian National Congress, ending a 55-year-old relationship with the party. This is yet another blow to the grand old party where leaders younger than Rahul Gandhi are resigning. He will join Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde at 2 pm at Varsha (the official residence of Maharashtra's CM).
This comes at a time when Congress is trying to weave a coalition of parties I.N.D.I.A fight it out against BJP-led NDA in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Deora, 47, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Deora did not give a reason for taking this decision. He writes, “ Today marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey. I have tendered my resignation from the primary membership of @INCIndia ending my family's 55-year relationship with the party. I am grateful to all leaders, colleagues & karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years.
According to sources, Deora was said to be unhappy with the seat-sharing formula being discussed by the INDIA alliance. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the timing of the announcement of his departure from the party was determined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Why Milind Deora left Congress?
The South Mumbai seat, which had been traditionally seat of Deoras, has become a bone of contention. The coalition partner of Congress UBT Shiv Sena wants to field his candidate Arvind Sawant from this field while Congress demanded the seat, claiming that Sawant only won the seat because of Sena's alliance with BJP. And since there is no alliance now, Deora is the right candidate. However, UBT Sena is said to be adamant over Sawant's candidature.
Uncertain over his future in Congress, Deora, who had served as union minister of state for Communications & Information Technology and Shipping in Manmohan Singh's cabinet in the UPA 2.0 government, left the party. He had also served as the President of the Mumbai Regional Congress committee.
Family ties with Congress
Milind Deora's father Murli Deora, was also a prominent Congress leader and a former Union Minister of Corporate Affairs and Petroleum and Natural Gas in the UPA 1.0 government. Murli Deora was a Member of Parliament from the Mumbai South constituency for three terms.
Murli Deora was a close confidant of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and was instrumental in bringing the Congress to power in Maharashtra in 1999.
The Deora family has been associated with the Congress party for over five decades, and their contributions to the party have been significant.
Milind Deora was also considered to be close confidante of Rahul Gandhi. He was among the young turks of Congress which consisted of Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jatin Prasada, Jitendra Singh and Deepender Singh Huda.
Among them, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Jatin Prasada have left the party and joined BJP. The position of Sachin Pilot is also not good in the party.
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