‘Will welcome Deora,’ says Shinde as Cong blames BJP; Sena (UBT) refuses to budge

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was on Sunday (January 14) evasive on former Union minister Milind Deora, who quit the Congress earlier in the day, joining the Shiv Sena but said his party will welcome him if he chooses to do so.

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

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 Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat.

The undivided Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant, now with the Thackeray faction, had defeated Deora in the 2014 and 2019 general elections.

No compromise, says Shiv Sena (UBT)

After Deora’s exit, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said there would be no compromise on the Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat.

“Sawant is a two-time MP. What is wrong with him contesting again? There will be no compromise on this,” Raut asserted.

Queried on Deora quitting the Congress, Raut said, “We knew Murli Deora well and what it is to work for the party and sacrifice for it. If people change localities to contest elections, it shows a new trend has started in the state.”

“To quit is his call”

Deora was also the head of the Mumbai Congress at one time. He is the son of the late Congress stalwart Murli Deora.

Earlier in the day, former chief minister and Congress Working Committee member Ashok Chavan said Deora wanted to contest from South Mumbai seat but the understanding within the MVA alliance was to not disturb the sitting MP.

“He could have got some other opportunity. But to quit is his call,” Chavan told PTI.

Plea to reconsider

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad said it was unfortunate that Deora had quit the party on the day when the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra commences from strife-torn Manipur.

In a video statement, Gaikwad urged the former Mumbai South Lok Sabha MP to reconsider his decision saying his family and the Congress family were one.

“It is unfortunate Deora chose to quit on a day when the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra starts from Manipur. I urge him to reconsider his decision. The Congress has always stood by him,” she said.

“The Congress party and I are extremely sad at the development. The AICC in-charge and I tried to hold a dialogue with Milind Deora (to impress upon him) that we are family and have to be together,” said Gaikwad, an MLA from Mumbai’s Dharavi area.

“BJP ploy”

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole called it a ploy by the Bharatiya Janata Party to divert attention from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and mocked Deora as a “twice-defeated candidate”.

“The BJP was spreading rumours that the Congress will split. Now the BJP and its allies are taking along with them a twice-defeated candidate to divert attention from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. This attempt will not be successful,” he said.

In a post on X, Deora wrote on Sunday morning, “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.”

Speculation has been rife in political circles over the past few days that he is likely to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

(With agency inputs)