Milind Deora quits Cong, joins Shinde-led Shiv Sena

MUMBAI: On Sunday, senior Congress party leader and former union minister Milind Deora joined the Shiv Sena led by chief minister Eknath Shinde—significantly, on the very day of the launch of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Deora declared he had switched sides, as the Congress was no longer the party it used to be. Critics, however, say that the 47-year-old politician was miffed about his South Mumbai seat possibly going to the Shiv Sena (UBT) and quit in a huff.

After the brewing speculation of the last few days, Deora formally resigned on Sunday morning, announcing his step in a post on social media platform X. ‘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 relations with the party. I am grateful to all leaders, colleagues & Karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years,” said the post. Deora joined the Shiv Sena along with 10 former corporators and 20 office-bearers of the party from South Mumbai.

Resignation done, Deora went through the saffron drill of his new party. In the morning, he visited the Siddhi Vinayak temple and also paid tribute to Bal Thackeray’s statue at Regal in Colaba. In the afternoon, he joined Eknath Shinde at the CM’s bungalow and, donning the saffron scarf he was presented with, held aloft the saffron Sena flag. Explaining his decision to join the saffron alliance at the function, he went into the Modi sarkar’s favourite acronym mode. “I believe in the politics of GAIN—growth, aspiration, inclusiveness and nationalism and am not in favour of the politics of PAIN—personal attacks, injustice and negativity,” he declared. “I have joined hands with the Shiv Sena to support the visionary leadership of Modiji and, in turn, strengthen Mumbai and Maharashtra.”

The former minister said he would not have quit the party had the Congress leadership accepted constructive and positive suggestions and respected merit and capability. “The Congress is not what it used to be in 1968 when my father joined, or in 2004 when I joined,” he said. “The party which ushered in economic reforms 30 years ago under the leadership of Manmohan Singh today abuses businessmen and industrialists. It calls them anti-national and criticises everything done by prime minister Narendra Modi.”

In an open letter to his voters in South Mumbai, Deora said much the same thing. “After the 2014 and 2019 defeats in the Lok Sabha elections, I had advocated bold reforms and by resigning as Mumbai unit chief after the defeat, had accepted responsibility,” it said. “Despite being sidelined, my commitment remained steadfast in upholding the enduring relationship my family shares with the Gandhi family. For a decade, I tirelessly worked for the party in various roles without personal position or power. After 20 years, I remain driven by a strong desire to purposefully work for the benefit of Mumbai, Maharashtra and India.”

Deora gushed about Modi and Shinde in the open letter as well, saying how “a humble chaiwala” had risen “to become the PM of the world’s largest democracy” and an autorickshaw driver had become CM India’s second largest state. “I aspire to collaborate with a leader who values constructive ideas, acknowledges my credentials and aims to leverage my abilities in Parliament for the progress of our nation and state,” he declared.

Eknath Shinde likened Deora’s decision of quitting Congress with his decision of quitting Sena in June 2022. “Some decisions are very difficult to take and needs courage. The one taken by Deora is one of them, like the one I took one and a half years ago.”

The resignation is believed to have come about because of the tiff between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Congress over the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat, which was held by Deora twice in 2004 and 2009. The leader had expressed his displeasure at the Shiv Sena (UBT) staking a claim to the seat during the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi coalition’s seat-sharing talks and Congress leaders responding positively to this.

However, according to BJP and Shiv Sena leaders, Deora is unlikely to get a candidature from the ruling combine either. “South Mumbai is the BJP’s traditional seat, and this time too, Rahul Narwekar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha are the candidates under consideration,” said a BJP leader. “Deora joining the ruling combine will definitely help us in South Mumbai, but he is unlikely to be the candidate, as the seat is not with the Shinde faction. Deora may be adjusted elsewhere and is likely to be sent to the Rajya Sabha.”

Deora’s father Murli Deora, who headed the Mumbai unit of the party for over two decades, also represented the South Mumbai Lok Sabha constituency four times. Deora, however, lost the seat in the 2014 and 2019 elections to the Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant. The Thackeray-led Sena faction has staked a claim to the seat again for the 2024 LS polls.

Senior Congress leader and former minister Balasaheb Thorat termed Deora’s decision “unfortunate”. “The ominous bid by tendering his resignation on the occasion of the second phase of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is unfortunate and unsuccessful too. His late father, Murli Deora, would have not liked the attempt to create trouble in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which was begun to safeguard the interests of the poor and downtrodden,” he said in a post on X.

Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad has appealed to Deora to reconsider his decision to quit the party. “The Maharashtra in-charge of the party and I were constantly in touch with Deora over the last few days,” she said. “The Congress is like a family and the Deora family has been very significant here. We are of the opinion that the party should remain united. It is unfortunate and painful that the resignation has come on the day the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is being launched.”

Former Mumbai Congress chief Janardan Chandurkar said that Deora’s resignation would not affect the potential of the party. “He was neither a mass leader nor could he retain the trust of the party leadership,” he said. “He had barely any support from the office-bearers of the party’s Mumbai unit. He has jumped ship only because he wants a ticket in the Lok Sabha polls.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, “Changing sides for a seat or for the power has become the tradition in Maharashtra and Deora’s move is out of it. Our party however has nothing to do with it. Congress should take a stand on it.”