Eknath Shinde's first reaction on Milind Deora joining Shiv Sena reports: ‘Welcome…’

Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday reacted to reports that Congress stalwart Milind Deora will join Shiv Sena today, saying he will “welcome him”.Deora, a former Congress MP, resigned from the primary membership of the party amid reports that he will join the Shinde faction of the bifurcated Shiv Sena.

"I have heard about his move. If he is joining the party, I will welcome him," Eknath Shinde said.

Deora, whose family had been associated with the Congress for over five decades, thanked the party for their support over the years.

"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. I am grateful to all leaders, colleagues and karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years," he wrote on X early this morning.

Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan said Milind Deora wanted to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the South Mumbai constituency but the alliance partners had been insisting on the sitting MP, Arvind Sawant.

Sawant belongs to the Uddhav Thackeray camp of the Sena. He defeated Milind Deora in 2014 and 2019 from the South Mumbai seat.

Also read: 'Greed, fear': Congress launches ‘lakhs of Milind Deoras’ attack after snub

The Congress on Sunday said Deora's exit won't impact the party.

"It will have no effect. One Milind Deora will go, but lakhs of other Milind Deoras will join us. It will not affect our organisation at all," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.

He also blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for engineering the high-profile exit.

"The Prime Minister has decided this, there is no doubt about it," he added.

Putting forth a brave face, Ramesh said "lakhs of Murli Deoras will join the Congress".

Former Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit blamed "greed and fear" for the politician's decision.

"I will be surprised if someone like him, after leaving Congress, would join an alliance party of the BJP. There are two big weaknesses in humans and those are greed and fear,” he said.

With inputs from PTI, ANI