Congress leader and former Union minister Milind Deora on Sunday announced his resignation from the primary membership of the party.
His resignation comes at a time when the grand-old-party Congress has decided to embark on Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur, under Rahul Gandhi.
"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," Deora said in a post on micro-blogging site, X.
The buzz in political circles doing rounds over the past few days that Deora is likely to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, PTI mentioned in its report.
Deora, who was recently appointed the joint treasurer of the All India Congress Committee, had expressed disapproval at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) laying claim to the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat, the report mentioned.
The undivided Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant, now with the Thackeray faction, had defeated Deora in the 2014 and 2019 general elections.
Deora was also the head of the Mumbai Congress at one time. He is the son of party stalwart late Murli Deora.
Congress alleges timimng of resignation determined by PM Modi
Congress has alleged that the timing of the announcement of Deora's departure from the party was determined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told PTI that Deora had spoken with him over phone this Friday and requested that he wanted to speak with Rahul Gandhi over his concerns over the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) laying claim to the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat. Both Milind Deora and his father Murli Deora had served as MPs from Mumbai South.
“He messaged me on Friday at 8:52 AM and then at 2:47 PM I replied, ‘Are you planning a switch?’. At 2:48 he sent a message, ‘is speaking to you not possible?’ I said I will call you and at 3:40, I spoke to him,” Ramesh said.
“He (Deora) said he is concerned that it is a sitting Shiv Sena seat, he wanted to meet Rahul Gandhi and explain to him about the seat and also wanted me to talk to Mr. Gandhi about it,” the Congress general secretary said.
“Obviously all this was a farce and he had made up his mind to leave. The timing of the announcement of his departure was clearly determined by the PM,” Ramesh alleged.
In a post on X, Ramesh recalled his long years of association with seven-time Congress MP Murli Deora with great fondness.
“He (Murli Deora) had close friends in all political parties, but was a stalwart Congressman who ALWAYS stood by the Congress party — through thick and thin. Tathastu!” he said.
