Jolt to Congress as Milind Deora joins Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, January 14

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress suffered a setback in Maharashtra with former Mumbai South MP and son of late party strongman Murali Deora quitting the party to join Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

After ending his family’s 55-year-long association with the Congress, Milind Deora, 47, said the current state of the Congress did not resonate with the one his father joined in 1968 and he joined in 2004.

“Today’s Congress has lost its ideological and organisational roots and lacks appreciation for honesty and constructive criticism. The party that once ushered economic liberalisation is now targeting business houses as anti-nationals. It has strayed from celebrating India’s diverse culture and religions, fostering divisions based on caste and creating a North-South divide, failing not just to attain power but also serve as an effective opposition,” Deora said joining the Shiv Sena in CM Shinde’s presence.

“The same party that used to offer constructive suggestions on how to take the country forward, has now just one goal — speak against whatever PM Modi says and does. Tomorrow, if PM says Congress is a very good party, Congress will oppose that too. I believe in the politics of GAIN — Growth, Aspiration, Inclusivity and Nationalism. I don’t believe in the politics of PAIN — Personal Attacks, Injustice and Negativity,” Deora said.

The trigger for Deora’s resignation was Congress’ inability to assure him the Mumbai South LS ticket. The Shiv Sena UBT has been openly staked claim to the constituency amid seat-sharing talks on 42 Maharashtra LS seats among INDIA bloc parties.

People close to Deora said he was unable to get his concerns redressed or even meet Rahul Gandhi to talk out these anxieties.

Deora was MP from Mumbai South in 2004 and 2009, but lost in 2014 and 2019 to undivided Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant.

Deora’s exit follows a pattern of young leaders, all formerly close to Rahul Gandhi, quitting the Congress. In this league of leaders, former Rajasthan deputy CM Sachin Pilot is literally the last man standing with the Congress.

Earlier, former ministers in Congress-led UPA government Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada and RPN Singh quit, citing lack of the grand old party’s ground connect with the people.

Former Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi quit to join the Sena, former Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev resigned to go to the TMC, media panellist Jaiveer Shergill quit and joined the BJP, as did former Gujarat Congress chief Hardik Patel and party leader Alpesh Thakor.

The Congress has all along maintained those leaving the party lacked the capacity and appetite to sustain the ideological fight against the BJP.

Today, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh questioned the timing of Deora’s resignation, which came hours before Rahul was to launch his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur.

“The timing of Deora’s resignation has been decided by PM Narendra Modi,” he said even as BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Shergill hit out at the Congress asking it to ensure “Nyay (justice) for its leaders before holding a Nyay Yatra”.

Deora’s resignation could hit Congress’ prospects in Maharashtra where it is involved in a hard seat-sharing bargain with INDIA parties NCP and Sena UBT.

“Today marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey. I have tendered my resignation from the primary membership of the Congress, ending my family’s 55-year relationship with the party,” Deora said in an all-too-familiar pattern or pre-poll exits from the Congress that began in 2014 with then Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma resigning.

The party has since lost former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and former Union minister Ashwani Kumar.

Latest young face to go

• n Deora’s exit follows a pattern of young leaders, all formerly close to Rahul Gandhi, leaving Cong for greener pastures
• n Former ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada and RPN Singh earlier quit citing party’s lack of connect with people
• n Priyanka Chaturvedi, Sushmita Dev, Jaiveer Shergill, Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakor were other young faces to leave

Party abusing industrialists

When Manmohan Singh was FM, Cong ushered in economic reforms, but now it is abusing industrialists and bizmen, calling them anti-nationals. — Milind Deora, ex-union minister